Eyakpobeyan seeking to become youngest Nigerian woman to win World U20 100m gold
At 17 years and 11 months, Justina Tianna Eyakpobeyan will be make history as the youngest Nigerian woman to win the 100m gold at the World U20 Athletics Championships.
Eyapobeyan is in the final of Wednesday’s 100m final at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima and the Nigerian has been drawn to run from lane two.
Albeit the odds look stacked against her, the Nigerian looks like one that can spring a surprise and if she does, she will go down as the youngest woman to win the blue ribband gold after Tina Iheagwan, the only Nigerian winner of the event.
Iheagwan was 18 years and 3 months old when she made history as the first Nigerian to win a world title in athletics.
The honour of the youngest to however win a medal belongs to Uduak Ekah who won a bronze medal in 1998 at the age of 16 years and eight months old.
Generally, however in the sprint, man or woman, Francis Obikwelu will remain the youngest Nigerian to win either an 100m or 200m title.
Obiorah, as Obikwelu is also called, won a sprint double at the World U20 athletics championships in 1996 in Sydney at 17 years and nine months old.
Meanwhile, the youngest woman to win a world title for Nigeria at the U20 level remains Imaobong Nse Uko who won the 400m title in 2021 at the age of 17 years and 6 months old while for the men, Nduka Awazie holds that honour as he won the 400m gold at the World U20 Championships in Annecy, France at the age of16 years and 8 months.
