Udo-Gabriel is NCAA Division 11 women’s 60m indoor queen!
Joy Udo-Gabriel Saturday stormed to a new 7.11 lifetime best to win the women’s 60m event at the NCAA Division 11 indoor track and field championships held at the Fall Creek Pavilion in Indianapolis, USA.
The Missouri Southern State University, MSSU, student-athlete was the overwhelming favourite for the gold medal following her 7.13 seconds performance early this month in Maryville.
The 25-year-old fulfilled expectations as she stormed home first with a new NCAA Division II all-time record, National meet record and MSSU School record with a time of 7.11 seconds ahead of Alexis Brown who ran 7.28 to come second and E’lexis Hollis who was third in 7.36.
It is the second fastest time by a Nigerian this year behind Tima Godbless’ 7.08 and joint 10th in the Nigerian all-time list with 1999 World Athletics Championships’ 100m finalist, Mercy Nku.
Udo-Gabriel first served notice of a star in the making when she ran 11.42 in the 100m and was a strong part of the 4x100m team that won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games.
In 2019, she won her first and only Nigerian Championships title in the 100m before she fizzled out of reckoning.
Udo-Gabriel seems to have come back to fulfil those potentials many saw in tipping her for greatness. .
While Udo-Gabriel fulfilled expectations in the women’s 60m, Caleb Joshua disappointed in the men’s event.
Caleb came to the Championships as the fastest in the division with 6.57 but could only finish fourth (6.70) in the final ahead of the second Nigerian in the race, Olaolu Olatunde who came in sixth (6.74).
