In an exhilarating display of speed and determination, Nigerian sprinter Success Umukoro has etched her name in history by becoming the fastest Nigerian woman of the year in the 60m event. Competing at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic, Umukoro’s breathtaking performance saw her storm to victory with a stunning time of 7.13 seconds in the women’s 60m final.
The 24-year-old athlete, who recently transferred to Texas Tech from South Plains College, delivered a sensational performance that set a new personal best and the fastest time by any Nigerian woman so far this season. Umukoro’s remarkable achievement began in the semi-finals, where she clocked an impressive 7.13 seconds—a career-best that sent shockwaves through the competition. She followed up with a 7.17-second win in the final, holding off competitors like University of Illinois’ Asia Thomas (7.24 seconds) and Texas Tech teammate Brianna Howard (7.30 seconds).
While Umukoro stole the spotlight, another Nigerian athlete, Tima Godbless, made history for Louisiana State University (LSU). The former African U-20 champion blazed through her semi-final heat with a time of 7.14 seconds (adjusted to 7.16 seconds for altitude), tying her with Kimberlyn Duncan for ninth place on LSU’s all-time 60m rankings. Although Godbless opted out of the final, her performance has made her the second-fastest Nigerian woman over the 60m this year, following closely behind Umukoro.
It wasn’t just a night of sprint dominance for Nigeria. The country’s high jump record-holder, Temitope Adeshina, continued her fine form by securing her third win of the season. Adeshina cleared an impressive height of 1.92 meters, edging out African champion Rose Yeboah, who matched the height but lost on countback.
With Umukoro’s electric form, Godbless’ breakthrough, and Adeshina’s dominance, Nigerian athletics is off to a roaring start in 2025. Umukoro has now twice rewritten the national 60m lead this season, having first done so in January at the Corky Classic with a 7.21-second win. As the indoor season heats up, all eyes will be on Success Umukoro and Tima Godbless to see how much faster they can go—especially with the NCAA Indoor Championships looming. Could this be the dawn of a new golden era for Nigerian women’s sprinting? While the clock is ticking, these stars are racing towards history.