‘It’s the gold this time!,’ As Ashe battles Oghenebrume for NCAA 100m outdoor title

Nigerian duo of Favour Ashe and Godson Oghenebrume will be seeking to upgrade their silver medal finish in the 100m event at the NCAA Outdoor Championship in 2022 and 2023 respectively to gold when they both file out for the final of the 2024 edition of the Championship early Sunday morning (Nigeria) in Eugene, Oregon, USA.

Ashe placed second in his debut in the Championship in 2022 and eighth last year.

The 22 year old will be seeking for the gold on his third attempt and knows he only needs to run a little faster than the 9.94 personal best he ran last month to get the job done.

Oghenebrume will also feel he is closer to winning than Ashe after scorching to a 9.90 lifetime best last year to win the silver medal.

Both have clashed 10 times over the distance with honours even at 5-5.

Ashe will run from Lane two in the final while Oghenebrume will start from Lane eight.

Lurking dangerously in Lane six is another Nigerian, Kanyinsola Ajayi who is waiting to pounce to become the third Nigerian man to win the title after Olopade Adeniken and Divine Oduduru.

In the 400m hurdles, Natahniel Ezekiel will also be seeking double joy. He will be looking to become the second Nigerian after Miles Ukaoma and be the first Nigerian 400m barrier runner to break 48 seconds in the event.

University of Alabama’s Chris Robinson, the only man who has ran a sub-48 seconds (47.95) in the group so far this year will pose the greatest threat to the Nigerian’s ambition.

Like Nathaniel, Samuel Ogazi will also be seeking a place in history as he not only bids to become the second Nigerian man to win the NCAA 400m title after Clement Chukwu in 1999 but also become the first Nigerian to run inside 44 seconds in the event.

To achieve the first, the 18 year old will have to, at least, run faster than the 44.53 lifetime best he has run this year and speed past
Georgia’s Christopher Morales Williams, the fastest in the line up at 44.05.