Ezechukwu: High-flying sprint sensation living her dreams News

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Ezechukwu: High-flying sprint sensation living her dreams

By Daily Sports Nigeria on July 23, 2025

In November 2023, during a meet organised by world record holder in women’s 100m hurdles Tobi Amusan in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Miracle Ezechukwu starred with three gold medals, winning the event’s Most Valuable Athlete award.

Then, Ezechukwu was best described by PUNCH Sports Extra as Nigeria’s new sprint sensation.

Almost two years later, she is living the dream and now winning medals for Nigeria at the junior level.

The 16-year-old was one of the 92 athletes who represented Nigeria at the just-concluded Confederation of African Athletics U-18 and U-20 Championships held in Abeokuta, where she won three gold medals.

Ezechukwu led a Nigerian clean sweep in the girls’ 100m and 200m events and also added gold in the sprint medley.

She won the 100m gold in a time of 11.88s (-0.4), followed closely by Rosemary Nwankwo with 11.96s, and Mariam Jegede, who finished in 12.20s.

In the 200m, she stormed to victory with a personal best of 23.87s. Her compatriots Chigozie Nwankwo and Perezide Sigah finished second and third, respectively, recording 24.01s and 24.26s, to complete an emphatic Nigerian 1-2-3.

“I’ve been training hard to do this. My dream has always been to represent Nigeria and break my personal best in the 200m,” she told PUNCH Sports Extra after the race.

“Crossing the finish line and seeing the time, I wanted to cry. I’ve been chasing that mark, and here, God did everything.

“I’m full of joy because it has been my dream to become the African U-18 champion. I thank God, my coach, and my academy for making this possible,” she added.

Behind Ezechukwu’s meteoric rise are the Nigerian Tulip International School and the N-Youth Sports Academy, under coach Felix Onoriode and coach Abdulhakeem Idris, who is one of the youngest World Athletics-certified coaches in the world.

In 2019 at the National Youth Games in Ilorin, she sprinted her way into the hearts of athletics fans. Although she didn’t win her event then, it was clear a star was in the making and that earned her a scholarship to the Abuja-based school.

Reflecting on her progress following her triumphant outing in Abeokuta, Coach Idris couldn’t hide his pride.

“I’m very happy and proud of her progress through the ranks because Miracle is a goal getter,” Coach Idris said.

“I’m happy the result is speaking now because I know the efforts she and the management of N-Youth Sports Academy have put in.”

As young as she is on the journey to greatness, she has endured a bit of disappointment, one of which was getting disqualified in the girls’ 100m of the International School Sports Federation Games in Bahrain in 2024.

In a viral video that circulated during the event, the athlete was inconsolable after her disqualification, but she toughened up in the next event and claimed silver in the 200m.

The coach described her as a mentally tough athlete.

“Ezechukwu’s progress through the ranks has been quite laudable, combining hard work and sheer determination to rise. Her trajectory is mind-blowing, rising through the ladder with every sense of discipline, and she has been able to comport herself in difficult situations as well.”

Perhaps one of the elements that contributed to that is being able to live away from her family at a very young age.

“We train two and a half hours from Monday to Friday, and that keeps me focused even though I miss my family, especially my mom. It’s been very tough to cope, but I am focused on making my life better through this scholarship because I get everything I want to become great from the school,” she told PUNCH Sports Extra in 2023.

Soon to be 17, Ezechukwu is far from her peak. But with the pace of her development, she is already being tipped as a future Olympian. The roadmap is clear—more exposure, international competitions, and a transition into the senior ranks in the coming years.

Ezechukwu isn’t just living her dream—she’s sprinting full speed into the future, with the wind at her back and gold in her stride.

Source Punch Ng

Posted July 23, 2025