In my experience, most of the headline events always took place on the day of the National Track and Field Championships in Santry. Only for this weekend, much of the spotlight will be on Saturday, when Rhasidat Adeleke lines up for the 200m.Most of Sunday’s finals are also pushed out until later in the evening, during RTÉ’s live 6-8pm window following the conclusion of the All-Ireland football final.By then we’ll know whether Adeleke has qualified for next month’s European Championships, the deadline being Sunday evening. It’s clear she’s had another shaky start to the season, well off her best form in both her favoured 400m and when moving back down to the 200m. It seems to me that Adeleke is still determined to find some form and qualify for the 200m, Saturday’s target being 22.85 seconds to qualify for Birmingham. Now her back is up against the wall, and maybe she just hasn’t been in the right mindset in her races up to this point.Each athlete has their own motivations at the National Championships, and for Adeleke this weekend, her main aim is to win. She’s gone back to basics and is taking the stepping stones required to get back to her best.If I was talking to an athlete in that position, I would tell them to forget about what they’ve done in the past and instead to see this as a way of starting over again, beginning the climb back to the top. Maybe she hasn’t gone into races with that approach up to this point.There’s always expectation around Adeleke, but to paraphrase Roy Keane, there comes a point when you have to do your job. Even if you’re not at your best, maybe eat a little bit of humble pie. But I think running at home can help inspire her too and remind her of where she’s come from. Conditions are also set to be reasonably favourable, once there’s no headwind.Sophie Becker is among those aiming for a spot in the 400m in Birmingham. Photograph: Patrick Elliott/Inpho As long as she’s fit and healthily, I would be surprised if she can’t win. Which, again, must be her number one priority. Everything feels easier after that. She’s only really struggled this year when other runners start to pass her, that’s when she starts to tighten up. In her sole outing over 400m, at the Eugene Diamond League earlier this month, Adeleke got off to a very fast start, holding the lead at 150m. But that’s when things started to unravel, so maybe she is better to focus on the 200m this year.It will also be her first race in Ireland in two years. She last competed here in 2024, winning the 100m at the National Championships. It still leaves her with two weeks before Birmingham, and even if she doesn’t hit the 200m mark, it might take some pressure off and potentially still allow her to join the Irish women’s 4x400m squad. That might help her regain some confidence over 400m, with several races still to come across the Diamond League and Continental Tour .With Sharlene Mawdsley also set to drop down to the 200m on Saturday, Adeleke will definitely have a race on her hands. Lauren Roy is also eyeing up a 100m/200m double.Adeleke isn’t the only Irish athlete looking to seal European qualification this weekend. There are still places available in the 400m, with Sophie Becker chasing the B-standard of 52:00 required by Athletics Ireland even if an athlete is in the qualifying quota set out by European Athletics.Emma Moore will be gunning for a top-three finish in the 800m. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho The women’s 800m and 1,500m also have several athletes chasing improved times and higher ranks which would earn them invitations to Birmingham. Emma Moore has the best chance to solidify her position if she can finished in the top-three in Sunday’s 800m.In the 1,500m, there’s a three-way battle in and around the rankings quota. Laura Nicholson is within reach, but she needs to run a personal best to get below the Irish Athletics B-standard of 4:07 to secure qualification. Jodie McCann and Eimear Maher are next in line, if Nicholson doesn’t achieve the required time, but they will also have to compete with automatic qualifiers Sarah Healy and Sophie O’Sullivan, who are more focused on winning the title.This has the potential to be one of the races of the weekend. The same goes for the men’s 800m, with Mark English continuing to defy the odds at 33. He finished second in a lifetime best time in London last Saturday, ahead of Cian McPhillips.McPhillips does appear to be coming into form and could perhaps edge a bit closer to English this weekend, although his eyes are firmly set on Birmingham. He would be hoping to produce a similar result to 2025, where he trumped English at the World Championships in finishing fourth.There is a growing rivalry here, with English chasing his 11th outdoor national title over 800m, comfortably beating McPhillips last year.Mark English (right) and Cian McPhillips will add another installment to their 800m rivalry on Sunday. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho Another athlete looking for a spark in her 2026 form is Sarah Lavin, chasing her 11th national title in the 100m hurdles. This would be some consolation for Lavin, who has raced sparingly so far, although she is already qualified for Birmingham.The men’s 1,500m is a chance for Cathal Doyle to win a fifth successive national title, although Andrew Coscoran might have something to say about that. Also in the field is Nick Griggs, automatically qualified in the 5,000m, who may find himself in the quota for the 1,500m after the weekend. There are also some fresh faces, especially the men’s 100m and 200m, with Benjamin Richardson, newly transferred from South Africa, making his National Championships debut. Although he is not eligible to represent Ireland internationally until 2027, Richardson will line up against defending champion Bori Akinola and 200m national record holder Sean Aigboboh. With some favourable conditions, these could be very fast and very close races.*The National Track and Field Championships will be streamed on Athletics Ireland’s YouTube channel from 12pm on Saturday and 2pm Sunday.