Nse Uko’s World U20 championships unique record to stay for another two years!

Ella Onojuvwevwo may be gunning to succeed Imaobong Nse Uko as the fifth Nigerian to win a World U20 400m gold but what the 19-year-old Louisiana State University undergraduate student will be unable to achieve is the unique record set by the Akwa Ibom-born Nse Uko who clocked 20 last February.

Nse Uko, touted as the new Falilat Ogunkoya but who has only seemingly flattered to deceive, set a record only one other woman has been able to do in the history of the championships.

The 20-year-old, 17 years and six months old at the time, won the 400m gold and was part of the women’s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m relay gold medal teams which means she won three gold medals at the championships, a feat no other Nigerian has accomplished and will accomplish in Lima at the ongoing World U20 Championships.

In fact, only Germany’s Grit Breuer has achieved the feat of winning three gold medals at a single edition of the championships.

Breuer, who established a healthy rivalry with Falilat Ogunkoya and Fatimah Yusuf whom she lost 9-10 and 2-3 to in head-to-head clashes as well as Charity Opara and Olabisi Afolabi who she enjoyed 10-8 and 15-0 wins over in head-to-head clashes, won the 400m title and helped the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams to gold at the 1988 World U20 championships in Sudbury, Canada.

Three other Nigerians viz Francis Obikwelu, Opeyemi Oke and Onojuvwevwo have managed to win two gold medals at the same championships.

Obikwelu became the first African man to successfully complete a sprint double at the Championships when he won the 100/200m gold in Sydney in 1996.

Oke and Onojuvwevwo won their two gold medals in relay events viz the women’s 4x400m and the mixed 4x400m relays.