8 reasons Nigeria athletics fans should be thrilled in 2023

The major championships lined up, a new era set to begin after the exploits of some athletes last season, discoveries that will come into their own, rivalries renewed, and record-breakers who will continue to push boundaries in their respective disciplines all add up for a mouthwatering season.

Here are eight reasons to be excited about what is to come in the next 12 months.

The Hungarian capital of Budapest will host the world’s biggest track and field event of 2023 from August 19-27.

Considering the success of the last edition held a few months ago in Eugene, Nigerians can look forward to another exciting championship with high expectations of the athletes performing well against the best in the world.

The NCAA Indoor Championships will take place in Albuquerque from March 10-11, having Nigeria’s best college athletes compete against each other gunning for medals and titles for their schools.

Last year, Favour Ashe and Favour Ofili were the medallists, winning 60m Bronze and 200m Silver medals. The duo will target upgrading the colour of their medals this year, while others will target being on the podium for the first time in their college careers.

Meanwhile, the NCAA Outdoor Championships is scheduled for June 10-13 in Austin, Texas.

With the success in 2022, where historical performances were attained, such as the women’s 100m witnessing the trio of Grace Nwokocha (North Carolina A&T), Rosemary Chukwuma (Texas Tech University), and Favour Ofili (Louisiana State University) running brilliant times of 10.97s, 10.99s and 11.08s respectively in their semis to make the final.

Their feat became the first time in history that three Nigerians competed in the final of the event, and the nation had multiple sub-11s runners in a season, having had the Ofili clock 10.93s earlier in the year, who later went on to win 200m Silver medal clocking a massive 22.05s.

The men’s category saw Ashe (University of Tennessee) win 100m Silver in 10.08s and Udodi Onwuzurike (Stanford University) with a 200m Bronze medal in 20.25s. While in the field events, Ruth Usoro (Texas Tech University) clinched the Triple Jump Silver medal with 13.95m, and Isaac Odugbesan (University of Alabama) secured the Shot Put Bronze medal with a throw of 20.45m.

It will be great to see how many more iconic feats these college athletes will achieve this year.

With her exploits last year, expect attention to be on the new Nigerian track queen this season if she can match or surpass her outstanding achievements.

Amusan was crowned World, Commonwealth, Diamond League, and African Champion, with the icing on the cake being her World Record (WR) of 12.12s.

Now regarded as one of the top three best female athletes globally, Amusan is seen building on these victories, having the spotlight on her in all her meets this season.

Amusan’s WR and World Championships victory last year has ignited a new belief and era amongst Nigerian athletes, who now believe they can accomplish whatever they set their hearts to do.

Most now see that gunning for top titles and records is attainable. Hence, the passion for putting more effort and aiming for the top is evident.

This year will show the WR impact has on them, so do not be surprised if these athletes produce incredible performances and smash records that have never been seen before in the history of athletics in Nigeria.

Nigeria and Africa’s Long Jump queen, Ese Brume has been second best toMalaika Mihambo since 2019, with the German successfully winning the Olympic and World Championships titles in convincing fashion, while Brume settled for Bronze or Silver medals.

The Commonwealth Champion once said in an interview that it was Mihambo’s turn for dominance and soon it will be her turn.

Perhaps 2023 is finally the year she’ll kiss the Gold medal at the World Championships in Budapest. She has waited for years, maybe this is the year she finally stops the German.

Nigeria’s fastest sprinters had their best career times in 2022, both in the men’s and women’s categories.

Though Ashe was the only won that ran sub-10s, and the others got so close, we can expect more to break that barrier this season as the race for the fastest man in the county begins.

The men’s 200m will also be full of many expectations, with the likes of Udodi Onwuzuruike, Alaba Akintola, and discovery Musibau Adebisi aiming to become Nigeria’s first sub-20s runner since Divine Oduduru in 2019.

While in the women’s events, the competition is also full of many expectations from Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma, and Tima Godbless, leading the events.

Ofili had a fantastic season last year by becoming the first athlete in Nigerian history to go sub-22s. She has all it takes to lower this time while others can aim to join her in the quest.

Imaobong Uko, Ella Onojuvwevwo, and Patience George will slug it out in the women’s 400m on who will end up being the fastest quarter-miler in the country, while the men’s category will envisage the runner that can finally break the 45s barrier in so many years.

The just concluded National Sports Festival (NSF) in Asaba gave us some new names, such as Musibau Adebisi, Akintan, and Faith Okwose.

With the National Youth Games, Commonwealth Youth Games, and African U18 and U20 Championships set to take place this year, expect more youngsters to come into the scene by taking their chance at national and international stardom.

One shortfall of the African Games this year is that it clashes with the World Championships in Budapest, meaning many athletes will not be competing at the Games.

The African Games is scheduled for August 4 – 19, ending on the same day World Champs begins.

So most Nigerian athletes that will be present will be home-based, except the date is rescheduled.