Nigerian sprint champions Praise Tejiri Ugoh, Rosemary Chigozie Nwankwo, and Gift Bright celebrate their historic gold medal victories at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. Photo Credit: MakingOfChamps
Team Nigeria delivered an unforgettable chapter at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal, wrapping up a historic multi-sport gathering that marked the first time an Olympic-branded event was ever hosted on African soil. Spanning across vibrant venues in Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly, the Games brought together thousands of young athletes across 25 sports in a true celebration of youth culture, elite competition and unity.
The grandeur of the international sporting festival kicked off with a breathtaking opening ceremony at the packed Abdoulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio. The night dazzled spectators with rich West African cultural displays, vibrant musical showcases, and a live performance by Nigerian music artist Ibquake, who brought incredible flair to the historic arena alongside global digital stars like Khaby Lame. Amidst the festive atmosphere, the Nigerian delegation walked with immense pride, led by sprint prodigy Rosemary Chigozie Nwankwo carrying the national flag.
Rosemary Chigozie Nwankwo rejoices on the track wrapped in the green and white national flag after securing the women’s 100m gold. Photo Credit: MakingOfChamps/Instagram
When the action shifted to the tracks at the Complexe Iba Mar Diop, Team Nigeria turned the athletics arena into a showcase of pure speed, finishing their campaign with a total of three medals—all of them gold. Fifteen-year-old Gift Bright set the blazing pace by conquering the men’s 100m final in a personal-best and Games-record time of 10.28 seconds, earning the distinction of becoming the first Nigerian men’s 100m champion at the Youth Olympics.
Gift Bright powers down the track en route to winning the men’s 100m gold in a personal-best 10.28 seconds. Photo Credit: MakingOfChamps/Instagram
Matching that stellar brilliance, flagbearer Rosemary Chigozie Nwankwo blazed across the finish line in the women’s 100m final in 11.16 seconds, completing a phenomenal sprint double that crowned Nigeria as the first nation in Youth Olympic history to sweep both 100m titles at a single edition. The golden sweep was officially sealed by sixteen-year-old Praise Tejiri Ugoh, who stormed through the women’s 400m final in a personal-best time of 52.76 seconds to claim gold and become the first Nigerian to conquer the 400m distance at the Games.
Praise Tejiri Ugoh claims gold for Nigeria on the podium following the women’s 400m final at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. Photo Credit: MakingOfChamps/Instagram
These remarkable achievements by Gift Bright, Rosemary Chigozie Nwankwo, and Praise Tejiri Ugoh not only surpassed Nigeria’s previous best tally of two gold medals from the inaugural Singapore 2010 Games, but also firmly established the country’s rising track stars as global names to watch.
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