2023 NCAA Track and Field Championships: Oghenebrume Tipped To Beat Ashe, Onwuzurike, Akintola in 100m Race

Stanford University's Onwuzurike is favourite to take home the 200m title

Louisiana State University’s Godson Oghenebrume has been tipped by NCAA journalist and analyst, Stan Becton to win the 100m title ahead of his more accomplished country men, Favour Ashe and Udodi Onwuzurike.

Oghenebrume scorched to a wind aided 9.94 finish to secure qualification to the Championships scheduled to hold in Austin, Texas in June.

The sprinter who turned 20 last Saturday was however not the fastest Nigerian on a weekend of great sprinting by Nigerians at the regional championships with Ashe running another wind-aided 9.92.

Onwuzurike was however lucky as his 9.92 run was wind-legal and the 20 year old should have been the favourite among the Nigerians to suceed Divine Oduduru, the last Nigerian man to win an NCAA sprint title.

Becton thinks otherwise and believes Oghenebrume stands the best chance of winning.

‘It seems like everyone was running a sub-10 second time or close to it at NCAA prelims (impressive even with the wind). You can take your pick after those
races as to who will win the 100m title, but I’m going with LSU’s Godson Oghenebrume. He’s been the most consistent sprinter, never running slower than
a 10.18 this year,’ wrote Becton in his prediction on NCAA website.

Ashe holds a 5-4 head to head record against Oghenebrume with the LSU student athlete the last to defeat the Auburn University sprinter at the SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships over a forthnight ago.

Oghenebrume has however triumphed over Onwuzurike the only time they have met-at the Nigerian championships in 2022.

Meanwhile, Becton has tipped Onwuzurike to win the 200m event at the championships.

The 20 year old former World U20 champion over the half lap stormed home first in an incredible 19.91 just over a forthnight ago at the Pac 12 Track and Field Championships in Walnut, California to race to the front of the queue as a strong favourite. Becton believes he is the man to beat.

‘Sometimes an athlete is just feeling it. Stanford’s Udodi Onwuzurike is one of those athletes entering final site championships. There might not have been a
better sprinter in the 100 and 200 meters combined during conference championships and NCAA prelims, with Onwuzurike running a sub-10 second 100 and sub-20
second 200, both wind-legal. No athlete has run faster than Onwuzurike in the 200 meters, with the wind being legal. That’s why he’s my pick here,’ Becton wrote.

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