Over the years, Nigerian women have made significant strides in track and field sports, overcoming cultural and societal obstacles to excel. These athletes have proven their mettle in sprinting, long-distance running, hurdling, and shot put, earning national and international recognition. “It’s wonderful to see women breaking barriers and excelling in their respective sports,” remarked Mary Onyali-Omagbemi, a Silver medalist in the Olympics who dominated the 100, 200, and relays in her heyday.
Pioneering Nigerian women in track and field sports
Before today’s champions, certain female Nigerian athletes paved the way, achieving notable success in events such as the 100m, 200m, and 400m sprints, as well as in the long jump and triple jump. Some of the most successful Nigerian female athletes include Modupe Oshikoya, a 1960s sprinter; Violet Odogwu-Nwajei, a 1970s hurdler; and Chioma Ajunwa, a legendary long jumper and Olympic gold medalist (1996); Falilat Ogunkoya: a 400m hurdler and Olympic bronze medalist (1996); as well as Mary Onyali-Omagbemi: a sprinter and Olympic bronze medalist (1992, 1996).
Sprinter and long jumper Blessing Okagbare stands out as an Olympic and World Championships medalist and a Guinness Book Of World Records holder. She has set multiple records and received several awards, including the national honour of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR). Their achievements highlight their abilities and inspire and embolden other women to pursue their dreams in sports.
Hitting hurdles: Setbacks for Nigerian female athletes
Despite facing cultural and societal barriers, Nigerian women in track and field have persevered, shattering records and stereotypes. They have overcome limited funding, inadequate facilities, and gender bias to succeed.
“We are the most successful female team in Africa, yet we have the largest disparities between men’s and women’s pay. I think we deserve equal pay. This big gap tells a different story, and a proper rethink of this mode of payment could also help women’s games.”
– Desire Oparonozie, Nigerian footballer.
Defying these odds, these athletes have inspired a new generation of athletes, promoting gender equality and challenging traditional gender roles. Their achievements continue to earn Nigeria recognition in international track and field events. Their dedication, perseverance, and passion have paved the way for future generations, cementing their legacy in Nigerian sports history.
From Nigeria to the World: These phenomenal women are proving their prowess
Building upon that legacy, Nigerian female athletes continue to defy the odds to achieve success at the international level. These women have achieved global success and will represent Nigeria at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, further proof of the growing influence of Nigerian women in the world of sports.
Favour Ofili
Born in Nigeria, Favour Chukwuka Ofili is a Nigerian track and field sprinter on a scholarship to Louisiana State University, where she competes for the school athletics team.
Showcasing her talent, she claimed the 200m and 400m titles at the 2019 African Youth Championships before claiming a silver medal in the 400m at the senior African Games that same year. In a blazing run of 21.96 seconds, Ofili shattered both the Nigerian national record and the Under-20 record for the 200 metres. She became the first Nigerian woman to break the 22-second barrier in the event.
Clocking an impressive 22.33 seconds (+1.4 m/s) at the Tom Jones Memorial Classic in Gainesville, Florida, she secured her spot in the women’s 200m at the Paris Olympics! This scorching time smashes the Olympic qualifying standard of 22.57 seconds and marks her personal best in two years.
Tobi Amusan
Starting as a conventional sprinter, Tobi Amusan quickly made her mark on the athletics scene, taking silver in the 100m hurdles at the 2014 African Youth Games. In March 2015, the then-18-year-old Nigerian won the African junior title before scorching to the African Games gold in Brazzaville, Congo, six months later.
She eventually became the holder of the World Record in the 100-meter hurdles, then achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the first Nigerian athlete to guarantee her participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics Games.
Speaking on what will be her third appearance at the Olympics in Paris, the 27-year-old downplayed a rush of pressure for her to add the Olympic gold medal to her cabinet. In her words,
“No pressure, just having fun. One day at a time, one race at a time, no pressure on. When it’s time for Paris, we’ll show up in Paris.”
Ese Brume
Ese Brume specialises in the long jump. Currently holding the Commonwealth title and a three-time African senior champion crown, she has a personal best leap of 7.17 metres. She’s dominated the Commonwealth Games and holds the African junior and senior records in the long jump.
The four-time long jump champion punched her ticket to the Paris Olympics with a Season’s Best (SB) of 6.87m at the Adidas Atlanta City Games. She finished third at the event but was able to hit the automatic Olympic qualification standard. Brume won the bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and is aiming to become the first Nigerian and African athlete to win two medals in the long jump event at the Olympics.
Temitope Adesina
Adeshina Temitope is a high jumper who clinched the silver medal at the 2022 African Championships in Mauritius. She also won the Nigerian championship high jump title that same year and impressively defended it in 2023. Despite arriving at Texas Tech University six months ago, the 25-year-old freshman made the most of the indoor track season. She broke the Texas indoor records with a 1.96m jump, making her the national champion.
Temitope qualified for the Olympics by soaring over a staggering 1.97 metres in the high jump! This incredible feat marks the highest jump ever by a Nigerian female athlete and secures her spot as the first to represent the country in the high jump event since 2016. Building on her stellar record, she aims for Olympic success.
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Sade Olatoye
Sade Olatoye gained recognition for her exceptional skills in the Hammer Throw and Shot Put events, winning several continental medals for the country. She was nominated for the 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year Award before claiming her first National title in the Shot Put at the 2021 National Championships. She made history the following year by becoming Nigeria’s first-ever woman to win GOLD in the Hammer throw at the African Athletics Championships.
Olatoye won the women’s Weight Throw event at the Music City Challenge, throwing a huge Personal Best (PB) of 25.32m, which shattered her previous PB of 24.46m. Her new Nigerian Record (NR) mark made her the fifth-best in world history. She is the current African champion in the women’s hammer throw.
