Sprinter Udodi Onwuzurike has earned a spot to represent Nigeria at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics. This achievement follows his impressive performance at the Pure Athletics Spring Invitational held in Florida.

Onwuzurike first gained international attention at the age of 18 when he clinched the gold medal in the 200m event at the 2021 World U20 Championships in Nairobi.

Since then, he has continued to impress and has now solidified his place as a top-tier sprinter.

During the recent Spring Invitational, Onwuzurike clocked a time of 20.13 seconds (with a wind assistance of 1.9m/s) to win the men’s 200m.

His performance was particularly notable as he outpaced seasoned sprinters Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, who finished second with a time of 20.40s, and Jona Efoloko, who took third in 20.44s.

Onwuzurike’s rapid progression in the sport is evident from his impressive personal bests.

In 2023, he set a blistering time of 19.76 seconds in the 200m at the NCAA Championships, placing him second on Nigeria’s all-time list and ranking him as the fifth-fastest 20-year-old in the world over the distance.

Additionally, Onwuzurike demonstrated his versatility as a sprinter by achieving a sub-10-second time of 9.92 seconds in the 100m event in 2023.

This accomplishment placed him fifth on Nigeria’s all-time list for the 100m.

His rising trajectory was further highlighted in 2022 when he played a pivotal role in securing a bronze medal for Team Nigeria in the 4x100m relay at the Commonwealth Games.

He also represented Nigeria at the World Championships in both the 100m and 200m events.