Alaba Akintola has emerged winner of 60 meters and 200 meters race events at the 2023 Commodore Challenge.
The Nigeria sprinter and student of Middle Tennessee State University Alaba Akintola on January 17, 2023 broke the 20-year 60 meters school record when he ran a time of 6.59 seconds at the 2023 Commodore Challenge.
Akintola ran in both the 60 meters and 200 meters events to start the season at Vanderbilt in the Commodore Challenge. He took first place in both events and set a new personal-best time in the 60 meters.
Akintola’s 6.59 seconds time in the 60 meters final is also the 13th fastest time in Nigerian history, beating his previous best time of 6.67 seconds in the 60 meters and is also a top five (5) time on the 2023 National Collegiate Athletic Association top list in the event.
Alaba Akintola’s time of 6.59 seconds in the 60 meters, which is a Top 5 time in the nation and first in C-USA, replaces a 20-year-old record set by National Collegiate Athletic Association champion, Mardy Scales.
Following his outstanding performance at the Commodore Challenge, Akintola was named the Conference USA (C-USA) Athlete of the Week.
Akintola also broke a 17-year-old record and set a career-best in the 200 meters in 20.72 seconds at the 2022 C-USA indoor Championship, landing him in first place in the finals.
The sprinter earned first place in the 60 meters and 200 meters events at the Samford Bulldog Open in 2022 and is ranked 14th at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships for a time of 21.49 seconds in the 200 meters dash.
Last season, the 21-year-old African Youth Games silver medallist ran a time of 20.44 seconds at the men’s 200 meters semi-finals at the NCAA OTF Outdoor Championship and reached the men’s 100 meters semis at the NCAA OTF Championships in 10.25 seconds.
