Seventeen-year-old Abdul Jabar Adama has written his name in history as the first Nigerian swimmer to win a medal at the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in Otopeni, Romania.
Adama stunned fans on Saturday when he won silver in the men’s 50-metre butterfly with a time of 23.64 seconds, just 0.10 seconds behind Great Britain’s Dean Fearn, who took gold in 23.54 seconds.
The teenager’s performance also shattered two Nigerian records in one day. His previous mark of 23.81 seconds was first lowered to 23.61 seconds during the heats before he clocked an impressive 23.48 seconds in the semifinals.
The National Sports Commission (NSC) praised the swimmer for his historic feat, calling it a major step forward for Nigerian swimming.
“Abduljabar Adama’s silver medal is a proud moment for Nigeria and for Africa,” said NSC Director General Bukola Olopade on Sunday. “His hard work and talent have once again demonstrated that our athletes can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world.”
Olopade added that the NSC remains committed to giving young talents the support they need to shine. “This is only the beginning of many more international triumphs for him and Nigerian swimming,” he said.
Adama first drew attention during the heats, where he posted the second-fastest overall time of 23.61 seconds among 116 swimmers across 12 heats. He went on to dominate the semifinals with a time of 23.48 seconds before securing silver in the final.
This latest success follows his stellar run at the 16th Africa Junior Swimming Championships in Cairo, Egypt, in March, where he won three gold medals, one bronze, and set several records, including a new African Junior record in the 50-metre freestyle.
With his performance in Romania, experts say Adama has placed himself as a strong contender for a medal at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
