Nigeria has made history at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games after winning gold medals in both the men’s and women’s 100 metres events, becoming the first country to achieve the sprint double at a single edition of the competition.
Gift Bright secured the men’s title in 10.28 seconds, while Rosemary Chigozie Nwankwo claimed victory in the women’s final with a time of 11.16 seconds.
According to The PUNCH, the Nigerian athletes delivered their performances on Sunday, November 8, establishing a major milestone for the country’s athletics development.
Bright makes history in men’s sprint
Bright produced a personal best of 10.28 seconds to finish ahead of China’s Hangyu Zhang, who clocked 10.57 seconds.
Poland’s Szymon Dolega finished third in 10.61 seconds to claim the bronze medal.
The Nigerian sprinter had earlier demonstrated his potential in the semi-finals, where he won his heat in 10.34 seconds and qualified for the final with the fastest time.
His victory made him the first Nigerian male athlete to win the 100m title at the Youth Olympic Games.
Nwankwo completes historic double
In the women’s competition, 17-year-old Nwankwo secured gold with an impressive time of 11.16 seconds.
The United Arab Emirates’ Arwa Ali finished second in 11.41 seconds, while Qatar’s Dana Salem took bronze in 11.48 seconds.
Nwankwo had also recorded the fastest qualifying time in the semi-finals, completing her race in 11.53 seconds.
Her triumph made her the third Nigerian woman to win the Youth Olympics 100m title, following Josephine Omaka in 2010 and Rosemary Chukwuma in 2018.
The two victories opened Nigeria’s medal account at the Dakar Games, which are scheduled to continue until November 13.
The achievement highlights the potential of Nigeria’s emerging athletics talents and adds another milestone to the country’s international sporting history.
