Nigerian sprinter Ella Onojuvwevwo has emerged as the country’s leading women’s 400m runner in 2026 after setting a personal best of 49.47 seconds.
Onojuvwevwo produced the outstanding time while winning the 400m at the USATF Lone Star Grand Prix in College Station, Texas, on June 6. The performance made her only the fourth Nigerian woman to break the 50-second barrier.
The 21-year-old, who completed four years at Louisiana State University before turning professional this year, leads the national rankings by a significant 0.78 seconds.
Onyinye Onyah occupies second place with 50.25 seconds, followed by Iyanuoluwa Aderemi at 50.95 and Esther Elo Joseph at 50.97. They are the only four Nigerians to have gone below 51 seconds this season.
Onojuvwevwo has enjoyed a remarkable campaign. She opened her outdoor season with 49.59 seconds at the Battle on the Bayou in Baton Rouge in April, becoming the first LSU athlete to break 50 seconds in the event.
She also clocked 50.28 seconds indoors in March, a mark recognised by World Athletics as an African record.
At the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on August 1, Onojuvwevwo won bronze in 51.00 seconds, giving Nigeria its first women’s 400m medal at the Games since Fatima Yusuf’s achievement in 1994.
“I am really happy to be the bronze medallist after a very long time,” she said.
Onojuvwevwo is currently ranked 19th in the world in the women’s 400m.
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