Nigerian sprinter Ella Onojuvwevwo etched her name into the history books on Friday, March 13, 2026, by shattering the long-standing African 400-metre record at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships in Arkansas, USA.
The talented athlete, representing LSU, stormed to a stunning 50.28 seconds in the women’s 400m prelims, a new personal best, new African record, and the fastest time in the world this year (2026).
Onojuvwevwo Breaks LSU & African 400-Meter Record on Day One of NCAA Championships – LSU
Record-Breaking Performance
Onojuvwevwo took control from the gun, powering through the first 200 metres and holding her form to win her heat comfortably. Her time of 50.28s erased the previous African record of 50.04 seconds set by legendary Nigerian Falilat Ogunkoya in 2000 (Osaka).
It also stands as:
- The fastest performance by any Nigerian woman (indoors or outdoors) in 26 years.
- No. 5 all-time collegiate indoor. performance in history.
- Currently the world-leading time for 2026
Madison Whyte finished second in the heat with 50.68 seconds.
Ella Onojuvwevwo earns gold at SEC championships – Reveille
A Momentous Achievement for Nigerian Athletics
This breakthrough comes after Onojuvwevwo’s strong outdoor season and recent SEC indoor gold. The Kaduna-born talent has now firmly established herself as Africa’s premier 400m runner and a serious contender on the global stage.
In the same meet, fellow Nigerian Samuel Ogazi also impressed, winning his men’s 400m heat in 44.98 seconds to qualify for the final.
What’s Next?
Onojuvwevwo will now line up in the 400m final on Saturday, March 14, 2026, where she is the favourite to add more hardware and possibly lower the record even further.
This historic run further cements Nigeria’s growing dominance in global athletics and brings renewed hope for the 2028 Olympics and beyond.
