Onojuvwevwo, Adeshina, Idamadudu Back Athletic Heat 10th Anniversary Meet
Nigerian athletics stars Ella Onojuvwevwo, Temitope Adeshina and Praise Idamadudu have thrown their support behind the Athletic Heat 10th Anniversary Meet, sponsoring the women’s 400m, women’s high jump and 4x400m mixed relay respectively ahead of the November 7 competition in Lagos.
The trio’s involvement adds star power and financial incentives to the anniversary meet, as the organisers seek to celebrate a decade of promoting athletics and creating competitive opportunities for Nigerian athletes.
Onojuvwevwo, the African indoor record holder in the women’s 400m, will sponsor the event at which she hopes to encourage emerging athletes to pursue excellence. The Nigerian quarter-miler has an outdoor personal best of 49.47 seconds, making her the fourth-fastest Nigerian woman and sixth-fastest African woman in history over the distance.
A two-time World U20 champion in the 4x400m relay, Onojuvwevwo has continued to develop her international career through her collegiate programme at Louisiana State University and her performances for Team Nigeria.
In 2026, she recorded victories at the USATF Grand Prix and the Ed Murphey Classic, while also winning bronze in the women’s 400m at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
She said supporting the meet was an honour and an opportunity to encourage Nigerian athletes who continue to work hard and make the right decisions in their careers.
The top four finishers in the women’s 400m will receive ₦100,000, ₦50,000, ₦30,000 and ₦20,000 respectively.
National record holder Temitope Adeshina will sponsor the women’s high jump, offering the same prize structure to the top four finishers.
Adeshina, who holds Nigeria’s national record at 1.97m, enjoyed an outstanding 2026 collegiate season, winning the NCAA Division I indoor and outdoor high jump titles as well as the Big 12 indoor and outdoor crowns.
She also won bronze in the women’s high jump at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, clearing 1.90m in wet conditions.
Meanwhile, Idamadudu has committed ₦500,000 to the 4x400m mixed relay, which will be named the Praise Idamadudu 4x400m Mixed Relay in recognition of her sponsorship.
The Nigerian sprinter enjoyed a decorated collegiate career at Cumberland University, winning multiple NAIA national titles and All-American honours in the 200m and 400m. In 2024, she won the NAIA outdoor 400m title in 52.15 seconds for a third consecutive victory in the event and also claimed the 200m crown.
Idamadudu was part of Nigeria’s silver medal-winning 4x400m relay team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, and has represented the country at several major international competitions. She also won the African junior 200m title and helped Nigeria secure gold in the 4x100m relay at the 2022 African Championships.
Her sponsorship will provide ₦250,000 for the winning team, ₦150,000 for the runners-up and ₦100,000 for the third-placed team.
The Athletic Heat 10th Anniversary Meet is scheduled for Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the Yaba College of Technology Sports Complex in Lagos. Athletes yet to register can sign up through A3tickets.com.
