Nigerian winners have emerged at the 2023 NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships, which came to a close on the 10th of June, 2023 after a thrilling four-day action.
Udodi Onwuzurike made history by becoming the third Nigerian to win the NCAA 200 meters title and he did it in grand style, blazing to a time of 19.84 seconds, his third sub-20 of the season. He came close to Divine Oduduru’s National Record of 19.73 seconds after he clocked a Personal Best (PB) of 19.76 seconds in the prelims.
Onwuzurike finished 6th in the men’s 100 meters final with a time of 9.98 seconds, which automatically makes him the 18th person and the second Nigerian since Oduduru in 2019 to go sub-10 and sub-20 on the same day.
Godson Brume has had a breakthrough, season. From finishing 15th in the 60 meters at the NCAA Indoors, to finishing second in the 100 meters at the 2023 NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships, Brume’s performance was quite a feat.
The LSU athlete clocked a PB of 9.90 seconds to finish a close second to Courtney Lindsey (9.89 seconds), while Favour Ashe was eighth in 10.02 seconds. Alaba Akintola and Karlington Anunagba missed out on the finals. Brume’s time makes him the Nigerian leader in the event and ranks him third on the Nigerian all-time list.
Ezekiel Nathaniel, the African leader in the men’s 400 meters hurdles, won the Bronze medal with a time of 48.54 seconds, his second fastest time this season, following Alabama’s duo of Chris Robinson (48.14 seconds) and Corde Long (48.53 seconds).
Rosemary Chukwuma qualified with the second-fastest time of 11.01 seconds in the women’s 100 meters prelims. Unfortunately, after receiving a warning for a false start, she lost her rhythm and ultimately placed sixth with a wind-aided time of 11.03 seconds in the finals. Julien Alfred won the race in a fast 10.72 seconds ahead of Kennedy Blackmon (10.87 seconds) and Jacious Sears (10.94 seconds).
Favour Ofili did not make it past the 200 meters heats after placing fifth with a time of 22.93 seconds. Nevertheless, she helped her school (LSU) win the Bronze medal in the women’s 4×100 meters in 42.52 seconds, their fifth fastest time in history.
Imaobong Nse Uko also participated in the 4×100 meters finals where her team (Baylor) finished seventh in 43.12 seconds. She later competed in the 4×400 meters final, placing fifth in 3:27.45.
In the men’s 400 meters of the 2023 NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships, Dubem Nwachukwu placed fifth in the final with a time of 44.92 seconds, while Dubem Amene did not make it out of the qualification round, ranking 22nd overall in 46.70 seconds. Florida’s Emmanuel Bamidele won the event with a PB of 44.24 seconds just ahead of teammate Ryan Wilie (44.25 seconds).
Bashiru Abdullahi finished fifth in his heat with a time of 13.68 seconds, ranking 16th overall in the men’s 110 meters hurdles.
Ella Onojuvwevwo competed in the women’s 4×400 meters but could not qualify for the final as they ranked 15th overall with a time of 3:32.17.
Prosper Chinecherem Nnamdi medalled in the men’s Javelin by claiming a historic Bronze medal in 78.36 meters. The Baylor sophomore, who has already surpassed 80 metres on two occasions in his career, started out with the lead at 77.68 meters and held it for two rounds. However, his mark was bettered by Pedigo of LSU who threw a Personal Best (PB) of 79.79 meters, a throw that would hold up for the win over the next half of the competition.
Dabbs claimed second place with 79.27 meters while Nnamdi, with his best throw of the day, became the first Nigerian (man or woman) to finish in top three in the Javelin throw at the NCAA Championships in its history of over a hundred years.
Ashley Anumba ended her collegiate season on a beautiful note, winning the Silver medal with her fourth attempt in the women’s Discus throw with a PB distance of 61.14 meters behind Jorinde Van Kilnken (65.55 meters), her second time of surpassing 60 meters in her career.
Onaraa Obamuwagun ranked 16th with a wind-aided distance of 13.10 meters in the women’s Triple Jump.
