Blessing Akintoye Shines with Historic Double, Earns NCAA Div 2 National Athlete of the Week
Blessing Akintoye has written her name into NCAA Division II history after a stunning double victory at the Lone Star Conference Indoor Championships.
The West Texas A&M junior sprinter, from Ogun State, Nigeria, claimed both the 200m and 400m titles in historic fashion, stopping the clock at 23.59 and 52.28.
Those times vaulted her to No. 17 all-time in the 200m and No. 5 all-time in the 400m.
Her performances capped a steady progression throughout 2026.
Akintoye ran 53.32 at the Texas Tech Corky Classic in January, improved to 23.61 at the New Mexico Team Open, and then won the Texas Tech Jarvis Scott Invite in 53.01 two weeks ago.
The Lone Star Championships confirmed her rise, making her the fifth female athlete from West Texas A&M to be named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the indoor season, joining Esther Conde-Turpin, Zada Swoopes, Fatim Affessi, and Rellie Kaputin.
