World Athletics Confirms Nigeria’s 15-Athlete Squad for World U20 Championships
World Athletics has confirmed Nigeria’s 15-athlete squad for the World Athletics U20 Championships in Oregon, USA which starts this week, with sprint stars Tejiri Godwin and Oluebube Ezechukwu leading the country’s bid for medals at the global junior showpiece.
The list released by the global governing body comprises five male and 10 female athletes selected to compete across the sprints, hurdles, relays, jumps and throws.
Among the headline names is Tejiri Godwin, who will compete in the men’s 100m after clocking a personal best of 10.20 seconds this season. He is also listed for the men’s 4x100m relay.
Oluebube Ezechukwu, one of Nigeria’s brightest sprint prospects, will contest both the women’s 100m and 200m, where she owns personal bests of 11.15 and 22.77 seconds respectively, in addition to the women’s 4x100m relay.
The men’s squad also features Gift Bright in the 100m and 200m, Perfect Faye in the 200m, David Dominion Udoh in the 400m and Precious Ebitimi Opinion in the triple jump.
On the women’s side are Chika Bakwunye (100m hurdles), Becky Ebiyadi, Faith Ezechukwu and Jecinta Lawrence in the 400m, Chigozie Rosemary Nwankwo and Lucy Chiamaka Nwankwo in the 100m, Oghene Success Oyibu and Tejiri Praise Ugoh in the sprints, while Jessica Oji will compete in both the shot put and discus throw.
Nigeria travels to the championships looking to improve on an impressive record that has yielded 37 medals, 14 gold, 13 silver and 10 bronze, making the country the fourth most successful African nation in the history of the World Athletics U20 Championships.
The championships have long been a springboard for some of Nigeria’s greatest athletics legends.
Falilat Ogunkoya won the women’s 200m title in 1986 before becoming Nigeria’s first individual Olympic track and field medalist and the only Nigerian athlete to win two medals at a single Olympic Games.
Mary Onyali claimed 200m silver in 1986 before going on to win Olympic medals in the 200m and 4x100m relay, while Fatimah Yusuf captured the 400m gold in 1990 before becoming an Olympic 4x400m relay silver medalist.
Francis Obikwelu swept the sprint double in 1996 before winning a 200m bronze medal at the World Athletics Championships, while Glory Alozie, the 1996 100m hurdles silver medalist, became the first Nigerian athlete to win medals at the Olympic Games, World Athletics Championships and World Indoor Championships.
Nigeria’s only individual Olympic gold medalist in athletics, Chioma Ajunwa, also passed through the World U20 Championships before her historic long jump triumph at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.
