Three long standing Nigerian indoor records that could be broken this weekend in Virginia

A few of the Nigerian student-athletes that will be competing at the NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Indoor Championships at the Virginia Beach Sports Center at Virginia Beach in Virginia this weekend can end up making history on two fronts.

While they will be looking to make history as the first bonafide Nigerians to win the NCAA Division 1 indoor titles in their respective events, they could achieve this by breaking barriers.

The duo of Tima Godbless and Success Umukoro will be competing in the women’s 60m, an event only Blessing Okagbare has mounted the podium as champion. That was in 2010.

Godbless in particular will feel she can become the second Nigerian to win the title following her status as the fastest woman in the NCAA so far this season.

The 7.08 she ran last month is the fastest by a Nigerian so far this year, the fastest in the NCAA and the fastest time by a Nigerian since Gloria Asumnu ran 7.07 in March 2012.

Godbless’ geometrical rise from a 7.77 runner just over a year ago to a 7.08 runner could mean the 20 year old can break the 7.02 Nigerian record first set in 1997 by Christy Opara-Thompson and equaled the following year by Chioma Ajunwa.

In the women’s 400m, Ella Onojuvwevwo’s incredible rise from a 52.47 runner in 2024 to a 51.06 runner this year means she can not only break the 51 seconds barrier this season but actually beat the 50.73 seconds Charity Opara ran in 1998 to set the Nigerian 400m indoor record.

For the men, three men will be in action but focus will be on the Auburn University duo of Israel Okon and Kanyinsola Ajayi who both set a 6.51 lifetime best last month.

While Ajayi’s progression from a 6.60 runner in 2024 to 6.51 this year could be expected, Okon’s form in his first indoor season, running inside 6.60 thrice (6.55, 6.52, and 6.51) should call for the redefinition of the word, incredible.

Nigerians will be hoping one of the duo can fulfil expectations and not only break 6.5, but actually run faster than the 6.48 Deji Aliu ran in Lievin, France in 1999 that still stands as the Nigerian record.