Nigeria quarter-miler Ella Onojuvwevwo, delivered a stunning 50.31s in the NCAA 400m semifinals, the fastest time by a Nigerian woman in 25 years, www.aclsports.com reports.
Running in heat 2, the LSU athlete delivered a stunning new personal best (PB), winning her heat ahead of a stacked field that included Kaylyn Brown and Vimbayi Maisvorewa. Her time ranked third-fastest overall in the semifinals, placing her among the top contenders for Saturday’s final.
Ella O with a new LSU record to advance
— LSU Track & Field (@LSUTrackField) June 13, 202550.31 seconds
Final on Saturday @ 9:02 p.m. CT#NCAATF |
Watch on ESPN pic.twitter.com/qbMFtYbme5
In the final, Onojuvwevwo will face fierce competition, including Georgia’s Aaliyah Butler, the fastest semifinalist with 50.16s, and her teammate Dejanea Oakley, who clocked 50.18s. Also in the mix are Arkansas stars Rosey Effiong and Kaylyn Brown, the latter boasting the fastest personal best in the field at 49.13s.
Onojuvwevwo’s performance not only secured her a top-five spot in LSU history, but also marked a significant milestone for Nigerian athletics. Her time is the fastest by a Nigerian woman since the golden era of the 1990s, evoking memories of sprint legends Falilat Ogunkoya and Fatimah Yusuf.
With the final set for Saturday, anticipation is high. All eyes will be on the young sprinter as she chases NCAA gold.
