Get Guardian on GoogleNewly-crowned Youth Olympic Games’ 400m champion, Tejiri Praise Ugoh, has confessed that she never expected to win a gold medal at the Dakar 2026 Games.
Ugoh, who delivered Nigeria’s third gold medal at the Games, the first 400m gold for the country in history of the nation’s participation, was full of joy as she crossed the finish line on Monday.
Ugoh just started running the 400m this season, and her first official outing in the event was a 4x400m relay a few months ago. The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics was her first individual competition in the 400m flat.
At Monday’s final in Dakar, Ugoh was a bit tensed, particularly as it was her first ever final at a global championship. She spent a while praying as she stepped out to the blocks for 400m final, which she clocked a massive personal best of 52.76s ahead of Osmary Pacheco (52.85s) and Aisha Muhammed (53.06s).
“I was not expecting a gold medal here in Dakar,” Ugoh said soon after the race. “My expectation was that at most, I will get a silver or bronze. I will cherish this gold medal forever.”
With Ugoh’s gold medal, Team Nigeria increased its medal haul to three gold in Dakar, the best performance ever.
Earlier, on Sunday, Nigeria recorded a historic sprint double through Rosemary Chigozie Nwankwo and Gift Bright in the girls’ and boys’ 100m events.
Speaking on the athletes’ feats, the Chief Executive Officer of NSC’s Elite and Podium Board, Olympian Yusuf Alli, said that Team Nigeria’s success in Dakar would not have been possible but for the support and backing of the NSC leadership.
Alli, an ex-long jumper, who captained Team Nigeria to many games and championships, said: “I thank the leadership of the NSC for our great outing here in Dakar. Right from camping in Abuja to participation at the Youth Olympics in Dakar, they gave us all we needed to succeed. The environment was very conducive. The athletes got the allowance and bonuses promptly, the feeding, accommodation, and other arrangements were superb. The same goes for protocol and logistics.
“I must specially thank the Director General, Bukola Olopade, who followed us to Dakar and was always at the Games Village to encourage and motivate the contingent. When the competition started, our athletes were doing very well, giving their best, but they didn’t make the podium. Olopade kept assuring them to stay calm and that the medals would come, and as he predicted, the medals did not just come; we recorded Nigeria’s best performance in the history of the Youth Olympics. This is a major feat. I thank the DG for his support and my able colleagues here, Niyi Beyioku, (Director of the Grassroots Department) in NSC and Lekan Allabi. They have done creditably well,” Alli stated.
The athletes are expected back in Abuja on November 13.
