Sagamu, Ogun State— A new generation of Nigerian track athletes took center stage at the National U18 and U20 Athletics Championships, delivering blistering performances and emotional victories that thrilled fans and set the tone for the future of Nigerian athletics.
In the U18 Boys 200m final, Perfect Faye from Bayelsa State lived up to his name with a perfectly timed finish, surging past the competition to claim victory in a Personal Best (PB) of 21.68s. Faye initially doubted his win after seeing Ajibare Ibrahim celebrate, but the photo finish confirmed his triumph. Ibrahim clocked 21.71s to finish second, while Destiny Egbon claimed third with 21.98s.
Over in the U20 men’s category, John Caleb completed a sprint double by winning the 200m title, having previously secured the 100m crown. Caleb clocked 21.37s (-1.1) to fend off a late surge from Joachim Uyovwiyoma, who placed second with 21.88s, and Oluwatobi Malik, who took third in 22.01s.
The U20 Women’s 200m delivered one of the biggest upsets of the championships. Few could have predicted Success Oyibu would dethrone reigning National Sports Festival champion Cynthia Chioma Nweke, but she did just that. Oyibu exploded out of the bend and never looked back, finishing in 23.80s (-0.6) to claim gold. Lucy Nwankwo of MoC Academy also surprised the field with a PB of 24.15s for second, pushing Nweke to third with 24.20s.
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In the U18 Girls 200m final, teammates Miracle Oluebube Ezechukwu and Rosemary Nwankwo maintained their dominance, finishing first and second, respectively. Ezechukwu won in 24.06s (0.1), followed by Nwankwo at 24.53s, while Mariam Jegede claimed third in 24.80s.
The crowd favourite was undoubtedly Gafar Badmus, who stamped his authority in the U20 Men’s 400m final, running an electric 45.78s to clinch the title. David Akhalu posted a PB of 46.34s for second, with Ezekiel Eno also running under 47 seconds for the first time with a PB of 46.42s.
In the U18 Girls 800m, Mary Chioma Edeh, a rising star from Nnewi, Anambra State, claimed her first national title in just her debut season. Edeh led from start to finish, clocking 2:13.93 in a display of confidence and courage. Remarkably, she only began competitive athletics in 2024.
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With several athletes running personal bests and new stars emerging, the championships reaffirmed Nigeria’s rich pool of track talent and offered a thrilling preview of names to watch at future continental and global competitions.
Picture Credit: Making of Champions Facebook Page
