Nigerian sprinter Tejiri Praise Ugoh has made history at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, becoming the first Nigerian athlete to win the women’s 400 metres title at the competition. The teenager delivered a personal best of 52.76 seconds in the final on November 9, securing gold ahead of Venezuela’s Osmary Pacheco, who finished in 52.85 seconds, and Aisha Muhammed of the United Arab Emirates, who took bronze in 53.06 seconds. According to World Athletics’ official competition results and The Guardian reports, Ugoh had qualified for the final with a time of 54.38 seconds before producing a significant improvement to claim the title.
Her victory is particularly remarkable given her limited experience in the event. A specialist in the 100m and 200m, Ugoh had only recently begun competing in the 400m, with the Youth Olympics marking her first individual appearance in the distance at a major international competition. Speaking after the race, she told reporters that she had initially hoped to win silver or bronze rather than gold. Her performance, however, exceeded those expectations and established her as a Youth Olympic champion. The achievement also reflects her ability to adapt to a new event and deliver under the pressure of a global final.
Ugoh’s triumph secured Nigeria’s third athletics gold medal at Dakar 2026, following Gift Bright’s victory in the men’s 100m and Rosemary Nwankwo’s win in the women’s 100m. The two sprint victories had already delivered a historic double for Nigeria, with Ugoh’s breakthrough adding another milestone to the country’s campaign. As the first Youth Olympic Games hosted on African soil, Dakar 2026 has provided a significant platform for emerging African talent. For Nigerian athletics, Ugoh’s gold is both a landmark achievement and a promising indication of the depth of young talent coming through the country’s sprint programme.
