The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) has named Divine Ejowvokoghene Oduduru, the 2019 Co-Men’s Track Athlete of the Year.
At the NCAA Division 1 Championships concluded in June 2019 in Austin, Texas, Divine Ejowvokoghene Oduduru successfully completed a sprint double, winning the 100 meters and 200 meters titles in scintillating fashion.
Divine Ejowvokoghene Oduduru won the 100 meters in 9.86 for his third sub-10 race of the season. Barely an hour later, the 22 years old delivered another sub-20 in the 200 meters.
In the history of track and field, such has been done 12 times, and Divine Ejowvokoghene Oduduru owns three of them.
The 9.86 seconds in the 100 meters tied him for the world lead and the 19.73 seconds in the 200 meters surpassed the 19.76 seconds he ran in April [2019] – the then second-fastest time ever run by a collegiate – to make it so he now owns both the second- and third-fastest time in collegiate history. This was done after helping the 4×100 relay team to a Texas Tech University record for the fourth consecutive time racing it this year.
Oduduru also became the second Nigerian to complete a sprint double at the Championship behind Olapade Adeniken who made history at the University of Texas’ Mike Myers Stadium some 27 years ago (1992).
Interestingly, Oduduru also achieved his sprint double at the same track.
Divine Oduduru’s Texas Tech coaches Wes Kittley and assistant Calvin Robinson were also honoured.
It is the first time a Texas Tech coach head or assistant has been honoured with a national award by the USTFCCCA in its 50-year history.
Kittley, in his 20th year as the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country, guided the Red Raiders to the university’s first men’s national team title in any sport.
