The NCAA indoor events last weekend featured standout performances from several Nigerian athletes who continued to churn out impressive results whilst competing for their respective schools. Some of the country’s elite athletes also took to the track in their respective season-openers.
At the Red Raider Invite in Texas, Temitope Adeshina achieved a Season’s Best (SB) of 1.93m to win the women’s High jump. This marks the best jump in the NCAA and the second-best in the world this year. She also attempted the World Championship-qualifying standard of 1.97m, leading a 1-2-3 finish for Texas Tech. Evelyn Lavielle and Claire Lowrey both cleared 1.80m to take the next spots.
Competing at the same event, Best Erhire won the men’s high jump with a Season’s Best (SB) of 2.20m. He edged out Brady Palen, who cleared 2.17m, and Elias Gerald, who finished 3rd with 2.12m. Erhire started his jumps at 2.17m and cleared 2.20m on his second attempt.
Success Umukoro clocked 23.50s to win her 200m heat at the Red Raider Invite in Texas, placing 3rd overall. Olayinka Olajide also impressed in her 200m debut for Texas Tech, running an indoor PB of 23.77s to win her heat and finish 5th overall across seven heats.
Mercy Umoibang set a new PB in the women’s 60m at the same event, finishing 6th in 7.34s. This marked her third PB of the season, starting the year with a time of 7.48s. Blessing Akintoye also delivered a strong performance, winning the women’s 400m for West Texas A&M in 54.53s.
Nicholas Fakorede was the man to beat in the 60m final at the Clemson Invite, racing to a new Personal Best (PB) and School Record of 6.60s, having earlier placed 3rd in his heat with 6.64s. This marks two straight final wins for him.
National 100m champion Kanyinsola Ajayi clocked a PB of 6.57s to win his heat at the same competition, tying the fastest time by a Nigerian this year. He repeated his 6.57s performance in the semifinals, advancing as the fastest qualifier but Did Not Start (DNS) in the final. Ayomide Oyetunji also made a strong debut for Clemson, winning his 60m heat in 6.82s.
Sunday Israel Okon won his 60m heat with a time of 6.65s, just 0.01s off his PB from Samford at the Clemson Invite. He went on to win his semis with a new lifetime best of 6.61s. In the same race, Tobiloba Oniyide placed 3rd in 6.81s, while Oyetunji also finished 3rd in another heat with 6.85s.
Samuel Ogazi began his 2025 season with the men’s 300m at the Clemson Invite, finishing 3rd in his heat with 34.11s. His teammate, Donald Chiyangwa, won the race, breaking the Zimbabwean National Record with 32.38s, just 0.02s shy of Frankie Fredericks’ African Record.
UCF athlete Adaobi Tabugbo improved her Season’s Best (SB) in the women’s 60m hurdles at the Clemson Invite, running 8.14s in the semifinal to finish 2nd. This time was just 0.01s off her PB. Meanwhile, Ese Awusa clocked 8.34s in the prelims to qualify for the next stage but DNS in the following round.
Ramat Jimoh shaved almost four seconds off her PB, running 2:04.97 to place 3rd in the women’s 800m at the Clemson Invite. She came close to breaking the Mississippi State School Record, which was set in 2022.
Joshua Caleb claimed victory in the men’s 60m at the Nevada Invitational, running 6.59s. Earlier, he competed in the 200m, finishing 2nd with a time of 21.08s. Caleb shares the Nigerian 60m lead of 6.57s with Kayinsola Ajayi and Consider Ekanem.
At the Dr. MLK Jr Invitational, Prosper Ekporere finished 2nd in the 60m hurdles, setting a new lifetime best of 7.83s, bettering the previous PB of 7.89s he ran earlier. Emeka Ugwu competed in the Shot put and weight throw at the Hokie Invite, achieving personal best distances of 16.26m and 15.34m respectively.
Usheoritse Itsekiri opened his 2025 season at the Knights of Columbus Indoor Games in Canada With a 6.70s run in the men’s 60m final, finishing 3rd behind Malachi Murray (6.63s) and Brandon Harris (6.67s). Itsekiri also recorded a World Lead (WL) of 5.74s in the men’s 50m.
Udodi Onwuzurike kicked off his 2025 season at the RADD Invitational in Gainesville with a time of 6.70s in the men’s 60m, placing 2nd. In the final, he ran another 6.70s to take 3rd place, behind Noah Lyles (6.62s) and Caleb Dean (6.68s).
Chidi Okezie also returned to indoor competition at the Astana Indoor Meet in Kazakhstan, finishing 3rd in the men’s 400m. He clocked 46.99s in his first indoor race since 2021, following Alex Haydock-Wilson (46.45s) and Ericsson Tavares (46.72s).
