Blessing Ogundiran (born 11 November 1999) is a Nigerian sprinter. She was the Nigerian champion in 2023 over 100 metres and represented Nigeria at the 2023 African Games.[1]
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
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| Nationality | Nigerian | ||||||||||||||
| Born | 11 November 1999 | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | ||||||||||||||
Event | Sprinter | ||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 60m: 7.28 (2026) 100m: 10.98 (2026) 200m: 24.73 (2021) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Biography
editOgundiran ran 11.54 seconds for the 100 metres as a teenager in 2017.[2] The following year, she lowered her personal best to 11.48 seconds in Abuja.[3]
She became the 2023 Nigerian national 100 metres champion in Benin City, running 11.50 seconds in the final to win ahead of Faith Okwose.[4][5] She was part of the gold medal winning women's 4 x 100 metres relay at the delayed 2023 African Games in Accra in March 2024.[6] In May 2024, she won the 100 metres at the MTN Champs event in Calabar with a time of 11.55 seconds.[7]
Competing in the United States for Warner University in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in January 2026, she ran a new personal best and school record to win the 60 metres at the Jimmy Carnes Invitational in Florida.[8] She then won the NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships over 60 metres in Gainesville, Florida.[9][10]
In April 2026, she set a new school record for Warner University and a NAIA 100 metres record at the Embry-Riddle Classic, running 11.21s (+0.5). The following week at the South Florida Invitational she ran a new record and personal best time of 10.98s (+0.6) in the women’s 100 m.[11] In doing so, she became the ninth Nigeria woman to break the 11-second barrier for the distance.[12] She was named as part of the Nigerian team for the 2026 World Athletics Relays in Gaborone, Botswana.[13]
Personal life
editReferences
edit- ↑ "Blessing Ogundiran". World Athletics. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- ↑ Galadima, Yemi (January 18, 2018). "Top 6 Nigerian Female Sprinters to watch out for in 2018". Making of Champs. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- ↑ Galadima, Yemi (18 March 2018). "Ogunlewe, Ajayi & Ogundiran shine on Day 2 of Abuja Golden League". Making of Champs. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- ↑ "Nigerian Championships". World Athletics. 5 July 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- ↑ Ibrahim, Ishaya (July 5, 2023). "Itsekiri, Ogundiran emerge national Sprint title holders, Amusan hits quadruple". theniche.ng. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- ↑ "African Games". World Athletics. 22 March 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- ↑ "MTN CHAMPS: Eze, Godwin, Ogundiran shine on penultimate day in Calabar". Premium Times. May 3, 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- ↑ Adebayo, Olusola (January 16, 2026). "Nigeria Sprint Star Blessing Ogundiran Shatters School Records With New Personal Best to Begin 2026 Season in Style". Sports247.ng. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- ↑ "Ogundiran, Usunobun win U.S. collegiate national titles". Punchng.com. March 9, 2026. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- ↑ "NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships". World Athletics. 5 March 2026. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- ↑ "Ogundiran credits coaches, family, for 100m world lead". Punchng.com. April 13, 2026. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- ↑ Akpodonor, Gowon (13 April 2026). "Ogundiran's 10.98secs feat breaks record in Florida". Guardian.ng. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- ↑ "World Athletics approves Nigeria's six World Relays entries". Punchng.com. April 22, 2026. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- ↑ "Asaba 2018 Fall-Out: I didn't put banned drugs in Onome Nathaniel's food – Ogundiran". Vanguard. 18 Nov 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2026.