Incredible teenagers, Ogazi and Onojuvweveo on the prowl at 2024 Nigerian championships
Talented Nigerian teenage quarter-milers, Samuel Ogazi and Ella Onojuvwevwo will headline a strong cast of elite runners who will compete for places in Team Nigeria’s delegation to next month’s Olympic Games in Paris, France.
Both not only made it to the final of their event at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Oregon, USA last weekend with Ogazi winning a silver medal, they also achieved incredible results that no Nigerian quarter-miler has achieved in their teenage years.
Ogazi, at just 18 did not only break the Nigerian U20 record, his three runs inside 44.60 is unprecedented by an 18 year old Nigerian 400m runner.
His 44.52 is the fastest returned by a Nigerian in 37 years and seventh fastest time ever ran by a Nigerian in the event.
He is a a strong favourite for the Nigerian 400m title and looks certain to confirm his trip to his first Olympics.
Onojuvwevwo, at 19 is one of just two Nigerian teenagers to run a sub-51 seconds. The other is Fatimah Yusuf who ran 50.59 at the Budapest Grand Prix in Budapest, Hungary.
Like Yusuf did at the age of 19 in 1990, Onojuvwevwo, also at the age of 19, has broken 51 seconds five times this season and still has time to surpass her illustrious compatriot with five sub-51 seconds run as a teenager.
She will also hope to first follow and then surpass Yusuf’s achievements as a 400m runner.
Yusuf ran all the way to the final of the event at the Olympics in 1996 and was a member of the Nigerian quartet that set a 3:21.04 African record on their way to winning the silver medal in the 4x400m relay.
Onojuvwevwo is also a strong favourite for the 400m title which will be her first in the history of the Nigerian championship.
