‘Okon Israel Sunday not among 100m favourites at World U20 Championships’

Can Okon Israel Sunday end Nigeria’s 28 year wait for the 100m title at the World U20 level? Many Nigerians may be thinking the 17-year-old has a chance.

World Athletics however feels differently as the Nigerian is not seen as one of the favourites for a place on the podium.

In its preview of the men and women’s 100m event, World Athletics has narrowed the favourites for the men’s title to four athletes who have broken 10.10 this season.

These fearsome four is led by Bradley Nkoana of South Africa who 10.03 lifetime best achieved in Switzerland in July, is a national U20 record.

‘Nkoana will arrive in Lima as the favourite after helping the South African 4x100m team set an African record of 37.57 to earn silver at the Olympic Games in Paris,’ wrote World Athletics.

According to World Athletics, ‘He Jinxian of China, Gary Card of Jamaica and Puripol Boonson of Thailand are among those who’ll be challenging Nkoana in Lima.’

China’s He has done a 10.06 this year, Jamaica’s Card ran a personal best of 10.07 to win the Jamaican U20 Championships in June while Boonson holds a season’s best of 10.08.

Nigeria’s Sunday holds a lifetime best of 10.12 which he achieved this June.

Francis Obikwelu is the last Nigerian to win the blue ribband title in 1996 after Davidson Ezinwa and Deji Aliu in 1990 and 1994 respectively.