Nigeria has been known to produce sprinters who dominated the world stage during their era. Ironically, the country remains one of the most affected in terms of losing her home grown talents to other countries, or her inability to attract world-class athletes of Nigerian heritage in the Diaspora.
In 2014, five world-class athletes of Nigerian origin in Femi Ogunode (Qatar), James Dasaolu (Great Britain), Chijindu Ujah (Great Britain), Tiffany Porter (nee Ofili, Great Britain) and Kemi Adekoya (Bahrain) all did tremendously well for their countries.
A quick review of their performances in 2014 is summarized below:
1. FEMI OGUNODE
Ogunode kicked off his 2014 season with a 60m World Indoor Championships Bronze medal in March. At the IAAF Continental Cup in Marrakech, he finished third in the 100m/200m event for his adopted continent, Asia Pacific, before capping off his outstanding season by winning double GOLD in the 100m/200m (9.93s, 20.14s) and setting a new Personal Best (PB) at the Asian Games, breaking the Asian Games record in both events.
Femi Ogunode was the man to beat at the 2014 Asian Games. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
2. JAMES DASAOLU
From a PB of 10.75s in 2006, Dasaolu has made significant and steady improvement to become the 2014 European 100m Champion, an event which was last won by a Briton in 1998. He capped off his season by becoming the first British winner of the 100m at the Continental Cup since Linford Christie achieved the same feat in 2004. The European Champion won in 10.03s, just 0.1s from USA’s pre-event favorite Mike Rodgers and Femi Ogunode. Worthy of note is the fact that Dasaolu is the second fastest Briton of all time, after posting a stunning 9.91s at the British Championships in 2013.
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