Ajayi, Ogazi, Onojuvwevwo, Adeshina Tipped for Historic NCAA Indoor Golds By NCAA Analyst
NCAA reporter and analyst Stan Becton has predicted that Kanyinsola Ajayi, Samuel Ogazi, Ella Onojuvwevwo, and Temitope Adeshina could deliver an unprecedented haul for Nigeria at the 2026 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
‘This could be the first time Nigerian student-athletes win indoor gold in multiple sprint and field events at the same championship,’ Becton said, tipping the quartet to make history.
Ajayi, representing Auburn, is seeking to become the first Nigerian man to win the NCAA indoor 60m title.
He enters as the favourite after tying the collegiate record with a 6.45 second run to claim the SEC crown. Only Blessing Okagbare has previously won the 60m indoors for Nigeria, and that was in the women’s category. Ajayi now has the chance to break new ground for Nigerian men.
Ogazi, running for Alabama, is tipped to take the men’s 400m crown. He already won the outdoor 400m last season, but no Nigerian—man or woman—has ever claimed the indoor 400m gold. With two sub-45 second times this season and victory at the SEC indoors, Ogazi is chasing a historic indoor-outdoor double.
LSU’s Onojuvwevwo is seeking to become the first Nigerian woman to win the NCAA indoor 400m title.
Her 50.96-second finish at the SEC Championships proved she is in championship shape, and she now has the chance to add her name to history as the first Nigerian student-athlete to win the women’s 400m indoors and potentially outdoors.
Meanwhile, Texas Tech’s Adeshina is aiming to defend her high jump crown after sharing the title last year.
With a new personal best of 1.97m this season and a flawless record at 1.93m or below, she is poised to become the first Nigerian woman in NCAA indoor history to win back-to-back titles in the same event.
