11. Antwon Hicks
Hicks’ inclusion in this list might be a controversial one considering that the 33-year old used to compete for the US until he switched allegiances to Nigeria this year.
Nevertheless, the 33-year old made sure the 110m Hurdles was one event that Athletics faithful in the country could watch out for in Brazil, after booking a spot on a record breaking note at the Nigerian Championships back in July.
The 2002 World Junior Champion produced one of the most outstanding performances at the 3-day competition in Sapele, clocking a Season’s Best (SB) of 13.27s to be crowned the new 110m Hurdles National Champion.
His spectacular performance not only helped him clinch a ticket to his first ever Olympics appearance; his time also became the new National Record (NR), thus erasing William Erese’s mark of 13.42s set 23 years ago.
His impressive time fanned the hopes of his fans ahead of the Olympics, with many believing that he could at least secure a place in the final, considering he has a Personal Best (PB) of 13.09s, which was set in the semis of the US Trials for the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
However Hicks didn’t enjoy the best of outings in Rio as he bowed out in the semis for his adopted country, placing 4th in the heats with a time of 13.70s, before going on to finish 8th in the semifinals in 14.26s, due to a personal error where he clipped a barrier that affected his momentum.
Although the hurdler may not have won a medal for Nigeria in 2016, he however ensured that the country had a sole representative in the event at the Games.
