Nigerian Wins 400m Gold For South Africa
A day after long jumper, Prestina Ochonoghor, and sprinter, Justina Eyakpobeya, failed to deliver medal for Team Nigeria at the 2024 World U-20 Athletics Championships in Lima, Peru, Nigerians got another rude shock in the early hours of Friday with pre-championship favourite, Ella Onojuvwevwo, failing in the 400m final.
Some athletics-loving Nigerians had stayed awake late into the night waiting for Onojuvwevwo to deliver the nation’s fifth gold medal in the women’s 400m and 15th gold overall by Nigeria in the history of the Championships. But like those who competed before her in Peru, Onojuvwevwo disappointed, and in the process became the sixth Nigerian woman to return without a medal in the 400m event.
The 19-year-old Onojuvwevwo, who was part of Team Nigeria to the Paris 2024 Olympics, faded badly in the home stretch, level with Lurdes Gloria Manuel, allowing the Czech athlete to move ahead and win in 51.29 seconds.
The Nigeria ended in a disappointing fifth position (52.61seconds) to become the sixth Nigerian woman to run in the final of the event without winning a medal after Yemi Fagbamila in 2002, the duo of Sekinat Adesanya and Folasade Abugan in 2006, Bukola Abogunloko in 2010 and Edidiong Ofonime Odiong in 2014.
According to SportsNow.com, Nigeria remains the most decorated nation in the women 400m event with four gold medals won by Fatimah Yusuf in 1990 in a 50.62 Championship record, Olabisi Afolabi (1994), Folashade Abugan (2008) and Imaobong Nse Uko (2021).
With Onojuvwevwo’s inability to deliver on Friday morning, Team Nigeria now stand the risk of coming back home without a medal for the second straight edition of the Championships and eighth time overall after returning empty handed in 1988, 2000 (did not participate), 2004, 2012, 2016 and 2018.
Perhaps, one of the best moments for Team Nigeria in the championships came in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2021, when it finished third for the first time on the medals table. That historic performance at Nairobi 2021 brought the likes of Favour Ofili, Udodi Onwuzurike and Godson Brume to limelight.
Nigeria now hope to win medals in the relay events, which started on Friday.
The relays have come to the rescue for Nigeria at a number of editions and Nigerian athletics officials will be hoping for a repeat scenario especially after the Team Nigeria track and field team also failed to make it to the podium at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Nigeria is presenting teams in the women’s 4x400m and the 4x100m as well as the men’s 4x100m.
The country won two gold medals in the relays three years ago in Nairobi, Kenya courtesy the women’s 4x400m and the mixed 4x400m relay teams.
Nigeria won her first relay medal at the Championships in 1986 when Mary Onyali led the women’s 4x100m team to win a bronze medal.
The country recorded her best relay success in 2021 when the women’s 4x100m, 4x400m and the mixed relay teams all made it to the podium.
The women have won five relay medals made up of one gold and four bronze, while the men have won four viz two silver and two bronze.
Both men and women combined to win one-the mixed 4x400m gold at Nairobi 2021.
While bonafide Nigerians are still searching for the men’s 400m gold at the World Athletics U20 Championships for the past 26 years, another ‘Nigerian’, Udeme Okon, on Friday morning secured for South Africa its second straight gold in the competition.
Okon 45.69secs to win the gold ahead of two Americans, Jyaden Davis (46.08sec) and Sidi Njie (46.29ses).
The 18-year-old Okon has now succeeded Lythe Pillay who won it for South Africa for the first time ever in 2022 in Cali, Colombia.
South Africa has now won the men’s 100m and 400m gold in Lima, Peru and Bayanda Walaza, who made history as the first South African man to win a 200m gold could also become the first for the country and second African after Francis Obikwelu to successfully complete a sprint double.
He ran the fastest qualifying time for the final of the 200m which is slated for later on Friday.
As at Friday morning, South Africa has won two gold, one silver and one bronze to sit second on the medal table behind Ethiopia who has won two gold and two silver medals.
