Nigeria’s U-20 Athletes Flourish in Kenya to Signal Prosperous Future

By Duro Ikhazuagbe

Good times are here again for Nigeria’s track & field. After Team Nigeria returned from the last three Olympic Games with just one silver and two bronze medals to show in the last 13 years, there is now light at the end of the tunnel, giving signs of a turnaround very soon. That silver medal didn’t come from the track & field that used to be our saving grace at multi-sports global outings. Rather, it was won from the wrestling mat by a female wrestler. That itself, is a story for another day.

Back to track & field, Nigerian youngsters have brought back joy to athletics aficionados in the country and beyond. Their performances at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships which ended yesterday in Nairobi, Kenya, has rekindled hopes that Nigeria is on the route to reclaiming her place of pride in the continent and beyond.

Udodi Chudi Onwuzurike, Imaobong Nse Uko, Favour Ofili, Chinecherem Nnamdi, Godson Oghenebrume, Favour Ashe, Opeyemi Oke, Praise Ofoku, Tima Godless and a host of other young lads have proved that Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) youth development programme was on course. They have done the country well, wiping away the tears over the dismal outings at the last editions of the Under-20 where we went just to complete the numbers of participants. Onwuzurike and Uko in particular stood out from the lot. While Onwuzurike won the men’s 200m, Uko emulated the likes of past Nigerian junior quarter-milers Bisi Afolabi, Fatimah Yusuf, Falilat Ogunkoya and Sade Abugan in winning the women’s 400m gold. It was a refreshing departure from poor recent outings with little or nothing to show. Oghenebrume although finished outside the podium in the 100m event despite being ranked fastest junior going to the Championships in Nairobi, he remains one of the country’s brightest sprinters expected to step into the shoes of Deji Aliu, Davidson Ezinwa, Olopade Adeniken, Seun Ogunkoya and Francis Obikwelu. Obikwelu last won the World Under-20 title for Nigeria in 1996 in Sydney, Australia before switching allegiance to Portugal as a senior athlete.

Golden boy Onwuzurike who is American Collegiate fastest runner in the longer sprint, outpaced Letsile Tebogo of Botswana who came second in a time of 20.38, while South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile won bronze in a time of 20.48.

The event (200m) in both the men and women categories were clean sweep for Africans at this edition in Nairobi with Nigeria, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa taking all six medals at stake to bring an exciting end to a historic night at the Kasarani Stadium in the heart of Nairobi.

Prior to the World U20 Championships in the East African country, not much was known about Onwuzurike, but the 18-year-old was in a class of his own at the championships where he represented Nigeria for the first time.

He had the fastest time of all the heats (20.47) and stormed to a fast 20.13 in the semifinals which would have been a championship record but for the wind (2.4m/s).

In the final, he was quick out of the blocks and came off the bend before everyone else, coasting home to gold with a national U20 record of 20.21, making him Nigeria’s first 200m gold medalist at the World U20 since 1996 when Obikwelu won the sprint double.

Onwuzurike, whose father was at the stadium to cheer him on, gushed after picking the precious metal: “It feels amazing. I had a very rough year and had injuries numerous times. I feel like my numbers weren’t really good and showing what I’m capable of, so coming out to show on the global stage that I’m the best is amazing.”

Uko also had that beautiful Saturday, cruising to the women’s 400m gold medal in 51.55secs. The Akwa Ibom-born 17-year old quarter miler came from behind to beat Poland’s Kornelia Lesiewicz to second position in a time of 51.97 while homegirl Sylvia Chelangat of Kenya finished 3rd in a time of 52.23.

Uko’s time is her personal best so far in her career.

Speaking shortly after winning her second gold in a time of 51.55, the youngster said ” It was very tough because of the weather.This is just the beginning of great things in my career. My coach and I really worked hard on this, I’m so excited, it would only get better.Coming here to make so much impact makes me feel so happy.. It means more hardwork, but the future is so bright.”

In the women’s 200m event, Favour Ofili finished third with a time of 22.23 to secure bronze on an impressive day for Team Nigeria. The event was won by Namibia’s Christine Mboma in a time of 21.84, while silver went to Beatrice Masilingi of Namibia.

Chinecherem’s javelin bronze is the first to be picked at the Wold Under-20 by any Nigerian athlete.

In the relays, these Nigerian kids got it right on the opening day of the World U-20 in Kenya, running a national record in the 4x400m mixed relay. The quartet of Johnson Nnamani, Uko, Oke and Bamidele Ajayi made history as the first winners of the inaugural event at the World Under-20 in 3:19:70, leaving Poland (3: 19: 80) and India (3: 20: 60) to settle for the silver and bronze medals.

That same feat was repeated on the final day of competitions yesterday as Nigeria’s 4x400m women’s relay quartet of Opeyemi Oke, Iniobong Uko, Ella Onojuvwevwo and Favour Ofili stormed to the gold in 3:31.46 leaving Jamaica and Italy to pick the silver and bronze respectively.

Few minutes earlier before the last event of Nairobi 2021, Nigeria’s 4x100m women’s relay quartet of Praise Ofoku, Favour Ofili, Anita Taviore and Tima Godbless ran a season best time of 43.90 seconds to win the bronze behind Jamaica and Namibia.

As it has become the norm even in the senior category, Nigeria’s youth development programme so far has produced better result with the female athletes. Nairobi 2021 typifies how the women’s folks have been dominating track & field since the last decade and half. Except for the period Olusoji Fasuba reigned as Africa’s record holder in the 100m, the male folks in the sprint and quarter mile have all taken back seats, watching the ladies grow from strength to strength. AFN cannot lay claim to the gold won by Onwuzurike as the lad is just competing for Nigeria for the first time. He is a product of a better clime before the American Collegiate is doing the final honing of his talent.

The usual problem of poor baton exchange that has been with us for decades, caused Oghenebrume and colleagues in the men’s 4x100m relay to finish outside the podium in the event they were primed for the gold or silver.

In all, the outing in Nairobi was soul-lifting for track & field followers and a pointer to good things to expect from these kids if properly managed. These kids are the future of athletics in Nigeria.

FINAL MEDALS TABLE

Gold Silver Bronze

Kenya 8. 1. 7
Finland 4. 1. 0
Nigeria. 4. 0. 3
Ethiopia. 3. 7. 2
Jamaica. 3. 6. 2
South Africa 3. 2. 4
Botswana. 3. 1. 0.
Sweden. 3. 0. 0
France. 2. 4. 2
Neutral Athletes 2. 1. 0
Czech Rep. 2. 0. 1
Namibia. 1. 3. 0
Belarus 1. 1. 3
Mexico. 1. 1. 0

Turkey. 1. 1. 0

16 Cuba 1. 0. 2

Israel. 1. 0. 0

17 Lithuania. 1. 0. 0

Serbia 1. 0. 0

20 Poland. 0 2. 3