Running for Baylor at his first Big 12 Championships since moving to the US, Ezekiele Nathaniel was absolutely in an amazing form, storming to a massive Personal Best (PB) of 48.42s and breaking Henry Amike’s National Record (NR) that was set in 1987!
With that time, he qualified for the World Championships, set a new World U-20 Lead, an NCAA Lead and moved to 4th on the 2022 global toplist. Behind him came Isaiah Levington who took 2nd in 48.82s and Malik Metivier in 3rd with 49.53s.
At the same meet, Rosemary Chukwuma churned out brilliant times over 100m and 200m, running 10.88s (+2.4) to finish 3rd over the shorter distance and set the fastest time by a Nigerian woman all-conditions in 2022, just missing out on a PB due to the excessive wind reading over the allowable limit. She carried this on to the 200m where she clocked a big PB of 22.33s (2.0), the 2nd fastest time by a Nigerian woman this year and 6th fastest of all-time nationally.
Meanwhile, Imaobong Nse Uko became the first Nigerian quarter-miler, either male or female, to qualify for the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon as she clocked a time of 51.24s, enough for 5th in the women’s 400m which was won by Stacey Ann Williams in 50.21s.
NR holder Ruth Usoro let down a couple of brilliant performances, first taking on the Long Jump where she soared to a new PB of 6.78m (0.7) to finish 2nd behind her teammate Monae’ Nichols who leapt a World Lead (WL) of 6.97m (1.0). Usoro doubled up, striking Gold in the Triple Jump where she jumped 13.94m (2.3), leading a Nigerian 1-3 finish as Onaara Obamuwagun landed a PB of 13.71m (1.5) behind her.
Despite having just two legal throws in his series, Chinecherem Prosper Nnamdi dominated the men’s Javelin Throw, going out to a best of 77.98m ahead of his closes challenger, Texas Tech’s Markim Felix at 70.72m.
Moving over to the C-USA Championships only about 390 miles away in San Antonio, Alaba Akintola secured a clutch of two Gold medals, powering to a PB of 10.04s (1.9) to win the men’s 100m, bettering the qualification standard for the World Championships and tying for the National Lead with Favour Ashe and Raymond Ekevwo who have both recorded the exact same time in 2022. He secured the double with 20.36s (1.7) over 200m.
Bashiru Abdullahi dropped a PB of 13.53s (1.9) to win the men’s 110mH, breaking his School, UTSA Record and setting a new Meet Record whilst holding off a strong Justin Leaston who had to make do with 2nd in 13.55s.
Esther Isa leapt a PB of 6.39m (0.7) to win the women’s Long Jump, ahead of Ingebord Gruenwald who was 2nd with 6.35m and Marquesha Myers with 6.21m for 3rd. Her teammate Arinze Benjamin Onyekwelu also won the men’s equivalent with 7.82m (2.9) while Erhire Best took Silver in the men’s High Jump, clearing 2.17m.
