The good times appear to be back for athletics in Nigeria, especially in women’s sprints, as the country’s athletes scattered across colleges in the United States have continued to churn out impressive performances.
As the NCAA outdoor championship wraps up this weekend in Eugene, Oregon, a handful of Nigerian athletes have distinguished themselves.
Many are particularly interested in the 100m women’s final where the Nigerian trio of Favour Ofili, Grace Nwokocha, and Rosemary Chukwuma will be battling for the coveted first place.
The duo of Ofili and Nwokocha will also feature in the 200m final. They are actually on the cusp of history as either of them could emerge as the first Nigerian woman ever to win a sprint double in the history of the NCAA championships.
Ofili 19, is an undergraduate at the Louisiana State University (LSU) and she has achieved some remarkable feats this in athletics season,
She ran 10.93s twice in the 100m and also set a Nigerian record (21.96s) in the 200m.
For Nwokocha, the Tokyo Olympics 100/200m semi-finalist is also one to watch with her 10.97s finish time in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, another Nigerian, Rosemary Chukwuma, will also be competing in the 100m final, which sets up a titanic battle with her compatriots.
It would not be surprising to see any of the trio join Blessing Okagbare as the only Nigerian athlete to legally run inside 10.90s.