Ugwoke Latest Nigerian Star To Back Athletic Heat Anniversary Meet

Nigerian discus thrower Vincent Ugwoke has become the latest track and field star to pledge support for the Athletic Heat 10th Anniversary Meet, joining fellow national athletes Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, Ella Onojuvwevwo and Temitope Adeshina in backing the November 7 event in Lagos.

Ugwoke, a two-time national champion and 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships bronze medalist, will sponsor the men’s discus throw at the anniversary meet scheduled for the Yaba College of Technology Sports Complex.

The 2026 NCAA bronze medalist recorded a lifetime personal best of 63.89m in June, a mark that propelled him to fourth on Nigeria’s all-time list in the men’s discus throw.

Ugwoke also holds a significant place in the event’s recent history, becoming the first Nigerian to throw beyond the 60m mark since Stephen Mozia recorded 62.20m in 2016. He first crossed the 60m barrier in 2024 with a throw of 61.44m and has consistently surpassed the mark every year since, culminating in his 63.89m lifetime best this year.

The performance also established him as the second-best African discus thrower in 2026 and further underlined his growing status among Nigeria’s leading field-event athletes.

The men’s discus competition at the Athletic Heat anniversary meet will offer a total prize purse of ₦575,000, with the winner receiving ₦250,000. The second, third and fourth-place finishers will earn ₦150,000, ₦100,000 and ₦75,000 respectively.

Ugwoke said his decision to sponsor the event was driven by the need to encourage private individuals and athletes to contribute financially to the development of athletics in Nigeria.

He also urged athletes and other members of the athletics community to register and participate in the anniversary meet, which he believes will provide opportunities for competitors to showcase their abilities.

Ugwoke joins Enekwechi, Nigeria’s two-time Olympian and African record holder in the men’s shot put, who earlier pledged to sponsor the shot put event.

The Chukwuebuka Enekwechi Men’s Shot Put will offer ₦400,000 to the winner, ₦300,000 to the runner-up, ₦150,000 to the third-place finisher and ₦100,000 to the athlete who finishes fourth.

African indoor record holder and Nigerian quarter-miler Ella Onojuvwevwo has also pledged support for the women’s 400m at the competition.

Onojuvwevwo, whose outdoor personal best is 49.47 seconds, is a two-time World U20 champion in the 4x400m relay and has continued to develop through her collegiate career at Louisiana State University.

The women’s 400m will reward the top four finishers with ₦100,000, ₦50,000, ₦30,000 and ₦20,000 respectively.

Nigeria’s national record holder in the women’s high jump, Temitope Adeshina, is another prominent athlete backing the anniversary meet.

Adeshina, who holds the national record at 1.97m, enjoyed an outstanding collegiate season in 2026, winning the NCAA Division I indoor and outdoor high jump titles as well as the Big 12 indoor and outdoor championships.

Her sponsored event will offer the top four finishers ₦100,000, ₦50,000, ₦30,000 and ₦20,000 respectively.

The Athletic Heat 10th Anniversary Meet will take place on Saturday, November 7, at the Yaba College of Technology Sports Complex in Lagos.

With the National Sports Festival approaching, the competition will also provide athletes with an opportunity to assess their preparations, improve their performances and build competitive momentum ahead of the national event.