Nigeria’s Favour Ashe last weekend in Oxford, Missouri,, emerged the new Southeastern Champion; not only did he win the men’s 100m conference Title with a new Personal Best (PB) of 10.04s (+0.6), he also secured an automatic ticket to the World Championships in Oregon later this year.
The young Nigerian athlete got a good head-start in the race, and when he was in full flight, there was hardly any catching him, getting to the line first for his third consecutive victory in the NCAA, and also amassing crucial points for the University of Tennessee.
Ashe defeated Dedrick Vanover (Florida) who finished 2nd in a new PB of 10.10s, and Dorian Camel 3rd also with a PB of 10.11s. Nigeria’s Godson Brume who was also in that race, came in 5th clocking 10.16s.
SEC CHAMPION 🥇 🏆
Favour Ashe runs 10.04 in the men's 100m dash and is bringing the SEC title home to Knoxville!#GBO 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5vAasiFRsu
— Tennessee Track & Field/XC (@Vol_Track) May 14, 2022
He now joins Raymond Ekevwo (10.04s) and Enoch Adegoke (9.98s) as one of three Nigerian athletes who have hit World Championships automatic qualification standard in the men’s 100m.
With his new PB, Ashe moved up to second place in the all-time list of Tennessee’s history, surpassing Justin Gatlin, and now only behind Christian Coleman who ran a Collegiate record of 9.82s in 2017.
Ashe has been showing glimpses of his ability, running a wind-aided 9.79s, the fastest time ever run by any Nigerian athlete in all conditions. For someone who only turned 20years old in April, he is proving his mercurial with each race.
Travelling to the SEC Outdoor Championships, he was brewing with confidence about the prospects of running his first legal sub 10s, and after the race he was visibly disappointed when he checked the time and didn’t see a sub 10s. It might not have come yet, but it could only be a matter of time before it happens.
This season he has continued to underline why he is Nigeria’s next-rated male track star, running impressive times to make the world take notice of his tremendous talent. In Ashe, Nigeria might have just cracked a gem who would hold his own against some of the world’s best male superstars.
Nurtured in Nigeria (by us of course ☺️), now doing great things in the United States… Favour Ashe is just scratching the surface at the moment. This guy will blow much bigger than this.
📹 @Vol_Track pic.twitter.com/YF4LpUkmBJ
— Making of Champions (@MakingOfChamps) May 15, 2022
