Onwuzurike runs 20.27 to place second at Racers Grand Prix
Former World U20 champion, Nigeria’s Udodi Onwuzurike sped to a 20.27 finish to finish second behind Trinidad and Tobago’s Jeremy Richards (20.13) at the 2024 Racers Grand Prix in Jamaica on Saturday.
It was the second fastest time the Nigerian has ran this season after storming to a 20.13 personal season’s best in his very first race since he ran 19.84 last year June to win the NCAA 200m title in Austin, Texas.
The 21 year old will be hoping to get back to last year’s form when he ran inside 20 seconds thrice, culminating in running a new 19.76 lifetime best to become the second fastest Nigerian of all-time in the half lap race behind Divine Oduduru.
Also at the meet, ‘undecided’ Nigerian, Bamidele Emmanuel ran 45.49 to win the 400m race.
It is not yet known which country Emmanuel will represent at the Olympics and time is running out fast for the ‘Nigerian’ who looks to be seeking to change allegiance very soon albeit he is still running as a Nigerian in the international circuit.
Meanhwhile, the duo of Jamaica’s Oblique Seville and Julian Alfred of Saint Lucia gave an idea of what to expect at the Paris Olympics later this summer when they sped to victory in their respective 100m category.
Seville pulled off a significant upset by defeating world champion Noah Lyles in the 100m. He thus became the first man in 2024 to legally break 9.90 in the event.
Alfred, the multiple NCAA 100m and 200m medalists ran 10.78, a new lifetime best and second fastest time in the blue ribband event so far this year behind USA’s Jacious Sears (10.77) to win in Jamaica.
