Nigerian winners have emerged in the 2023 NCAA Circuit Conference Championships.
Nigerian Winners Of 2023 NCAA Circuit Conference Championships
2023 NCAA Big 12
The John Jacobs Track and Field Complex in Norman, Oklahoma, played host to the competition over three days. Ezekiel Nathaniel was the standout Nigerian in the meet as he became the latest Nigerian to surpass the World Championships standard.
He clocked a Season’s Best (SB) of 48.52 —narrowly missing his Personal Best (PB) of 48.42 set exactly a year ago— to finish 2nd in the men’s 400 meters hurdles behind Caleb Dean (48.39 seconds). Ezekiel also helped his school (Baylor) to a new Meet Record (MR) and Facility Record (FR) of 3:00.73s in the men’s 4×400 meters relay, where he ran the third leg. The team finished nearly 3 seconds ahead of Oklahoma (3:03.64s).
Prosper Chinecherem defended his Big 12 title with a decent throw of 74.40 meters in the men’s Javelin event. He was the only competitor to go beyond the 70 meters mark as his closest rival’s (Zach Podrasa) best throw was a 66.29 meters.
Nse Imaobong Uko finished fourth in the women’s 400 meters with a time of 52.13 seconds (52.20 seconds in the heats) after running the second leg for her school’s 4×100m team that eventually finished 2nd (43.75s) behind Texas who shattered the NCAA record with a scorching 41.89s.
Uko ended her campaign in the women’s 200 meters, finishing sitxth with a time of 23.64 seconds. She clocked a PB of 23.01 seconds in the heats.
Rosemary Chukwuma also finished 4th in the women’s 100 meters with a time of 11.21 seconds after running a wind-aided 10.94 seconds in the heats the previous day. She finished fourth with her team in the women’s 4×100 meters (43.89 seconds). Chukwuma recorded a Did Not Start (DNS) in the 200 meters after qualifying in 22.90 seconds.
Onaara Obamuwagun placed 4th in the women’s Triple Jump with a distance of 13.20 meters. Erhire Best did not record a single mark in the men’s side as he fouled his attempts. He finished sixth in the men’s high jump with a height of 2.06 meters.
2023 NCAA PAC 12
Nigerian 100 meters and 200 meters leader Udodi Onwuzurike was in action at the Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut, California, where he competed in the men’s 100 meters, 200 meters and 4×100 meters.
He started things off with a 7th place finish in the 4×100 meters (39.76 seconds), a close second finish in the 100 meters behind Micah Willams in 10.22 seconds to 10.23 seconds. He ran a 10.09 seconds in the heats—but it wasn’t until the 200 meters that he made history.
Onwuzurike won the 200 meters with a scintillating PB of 19.91 seconds, breaking Ato Boldon’s MR of 20.00 seconds set in 1996. He also became the youngest Nigerian to break the 20 seconds barrier at 20 years, 3 months and 15 days. Francis Obikwelu formerly held the record at 20 years, 9 months and 3 days.
Divine Oduduru was the last Nigerian to run sub-20, which was at the North Florida Invitational in 2021 where he clocked a 19.88 seconds.
Onwuzurike’s 19.91 takes him to third on the Nigerian all-time list and 13th on the African all-time just ahead of Akani Simbine’s 19.95 set in 2017.
2023 NCAA SEC
The Bernie Moore Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana witnessed the clash of ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ Favour Ashe and the in-form Godson Brume in the 100 meters. Ashe was returning to competition exactly a month after a hamstring tear, while Brume has been topping the field at most of his outings.
Ashe made a statement by finishing as the fastest qualifier with a time of 10.06 seconds in the heats, winning his heat in the process. Brume did also win heat with a last-minute charge in 10.13 seconds.
In the finals, Brume and Ashe finally got to meet head-to-head as the former took the win with a solid SB of 10.04 seconds, while the latter settled for 2nd in 10.08 seconds.
Brume also anchored his School (LSU) to victory in a new NCAA record of 37.90 in the men’s 4×100 meters.
Favour Ofili ultimately got to make her 200 meters outdoor debut where she led the field with the fastest qualifying time of 22.58 seconds, which is an SB, but settled for 6th in the final with a time of 22.89 seconds —her slowest time since 2021. She finished 5th in the women’s 100m in 11.17 seconds.
Ofili ran a splendid second leg to gift LSU their first sub-43 of the season (42.92 seconds) to win the 4×100 meters ahead of Kentucky (42.93 seconds).
Ella Onojuvwevwo attained a PB of 51.85 seconds as she went under 52 seconds for the first ever to finish third in her heat behind Talitha Diggs (50.78 seconds) and Nickisha Pryce (51.43 seconds). Unfortunately, her time ranked 11th overall, and could not advance to the finals.
2023 NCAA C-USA
Alaba Akintola continued his dominance as he defended his C-USA titles in the 100 meters and 200 meters. He won the 100 meters in an SB of 10.05 seconds ahead of Karlington Anunagba (10.20 seconds) and Rodney Heath (10.24 seconds).
Akintola used a 20.43 seconds to take the 200 meters title. He had earlier clocked a wind-aided 20.16 seconds in the prelims, then finished 4th in the 4×100 meters with a time of 40.22 seconds
Stephen Eloji also dominated the hurdle events as he claimed the 110 meters and 400 meters hurdles titles. He won the 110 meters hurdles in fashion with a new PB and C-USA record of 13.50 seconds — bettering his former PB of 13.73 seconds set two weeks ago — ahead of compatriot Bashiru Abdullahi (13.71 seconds), making him the Nigerian/African Leader this season.
Eloji won the 400m hurdles in 52.64 seconds ahead of Jordan Coates McBride (52.74 seconds) and Zack Martinez (52.95 seconds)
2023 NCAA Big 10
Dubem Amene finished third in the men’s 400 meters final with a time of 46.20 seconds, having clocked an SB of 46.09 in the heats.
2023 NCAA Big Sky
Raphael Egbuchilem emerged victorious in the men’s 400 meters with a PB of 46.07 seconds, shedding five-tenths off his initial PB of 46.57 seconds. It is the second fastest time in school history (Northern Colorado). He beat the field by almost half a second as Spencer Barrera came second in 46.59 seconds.
