2026 Youth Olympic Games: Praise Ugoh Wins U-18 Women’s 400m Gold in Personal Best
Nigerian Runs 52.76 PB In Dakar; 12th Fastest U-18 Performer Worldwide This Year
Nigeria’s Praise Ugoh produced a remarkable performance to win the women’s 400m gold at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, clocking a personal best of 52.76 seconds in what was her first official race over the distance.
The teenager triumphed in Monday’s final at the Complexe Iba Mar Diop, finishing ahead of Venezuela’s Osmary Pacheco, who also recorded a personal best of 52.85 seconds, while Aisha Muhammed of the United Arab Emirates claimed bronze in 53.06 seconds.
The victory was particularly remarkable given that it was Ugoh’s first official 400m race. Her 52.76-second performance also makes her the 12th-fastest U-18 female 400m runner in the world this year and the third-fastest in Africa.
Ugoh is not entirely new to international athletics, having been a member of Nigeria’s women’s 4x400m relay team at the 2026 World Athletics U-20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA.
Her gold-medal performance in Dakar therefore marks a significant individual breakthrough for the young Nigerian, who has announced herself as one of Africa’s promising quarter-milers.
