West African nation Nigeria is a sprinter-rich country. They mostly produced best sprinters in Africa. But their 100H domination on the women's sprinting is simply astonishing.
By Şevket F. ERBAY
Even if you are researching big traditions in a specific event in less important stages, you may be could not face such a perfect streak. That we mean: Nigerian sprint hurdlers' has currently the greatest active streak in continental (or higher) level championships. They did not lose a single race in African Games - the event started 1973 edition in Lagos. Ironically, only other short sprint title was awarded to Ghana at the very first African Games in 1965, but the distance was 80 metres in that time. Starting from 1973, Nigeria has leashed all 100 metres hurdles titles until today. Not missing any of them.
Their first of eleven back-to-back 100H titles came from Modupe Oshikoya, the Commonwealth Games LJ champion as well. 19-year old Oshikoya took the 1973 African Games title ahead of fellow Nigerian Emilia Edet in a cheerful atmosphere.
Five years later, Judy Bell-Gam secured African Games title by breaking continental record with 13.67. She ran in the final alongside twin-sister Bella Bell-Gam, who finished third by coming home in just under 14 seconds (13.99). The talented hurdler from Opobo Town, Judy Bell-Gam also would be the inaugural African Championships gold medallist in same event one year later.
In 1987, two-time Olympian Maria Usifo retains tradition in 100H as Ime Akpan led Nigerian 1-2 in Cairo 1991 Games. These couple of finals comes with just ordinary, but fifth final of the winning streak in 1995 was totally dominated.
Three Nigerian ladies have been swept 100H final by grabbing all three medals, ahead of close fourth Madagascar record holder Nicole Ramalalanirina (later, became World Indoor medallist for France) in a high-altitude stadium of Harare. African Games 1995 final won surprisingly by 24-year old Taiwo Aladefa with 12.98, just 0.03 seconds ahead of Angela Atede who lowered Games Record to 12.81 one day earlier in semi-final.
Angela Atede was also one of the protagonists of 100m hurdles podium in 2003 edition, which also had three Nigerian sprinters; but this time, she secured a gold medal at age of 31 by beating younger compatriot Damaris Agbugba.
Between these two all-Nigerian African Games podiums, one of the brightest hurdlers from Africa, Gloria Alozie took the African Games crown in the year 1999. Around that time, she ruled the world scene as well, lowering the African 100H record 12.44 and taking Olympic silver in Sydney, before she immigrated to Spain.
Nigerian female sprinters have 'double' on the podium in 2007, 2011 and 2015 African Games. In the recent edition (2019), Tobi Amusan defended her title in Rabat by half a second gap over silver medallist, however other two steps in the podium occupied by non-Nigerians for the first time since 1987! Surprisingly, Amusan also became the first title defender in this strong series which is still unbroken for nearly fifty years.
Recent African Games, two-time African Championship and 2018 Commonwealth gold medallist Tobi Amusan is looking undefeatable in continental basis, still. As if that were not enough, the University of Texas alumni has strengthened her own seat in African Athletics history after breaking Alozie's 23-year old 100H African record in Zurich Weltklasse 2021.
NIGERIAN DOMINATION BY NUMBERS IN 100H
11/11 African Games champions
22/33 medals in African Games
11/21 African Championships titles
7/7 African record holders
5/10 In Top 10 African all-time
Also...
Nigerian female athletes won 1 Olympic, 1 World Champs, 1 World Indoor, 1 World U20, 1 Universiade, 3 Commonwealth Games medals.
