Divine Oduduru

Ejowvokoghene Divine Oduduru (born 7 October 1996) is a Nigerian sprinter specializing in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash.[8] He holds personal bests of 9.86 seconds for the 100 m and 19.73 seconds for the 200 m. The latter is a Nigerian national record.[9]

Divine Oduduru
Oduduru winning the 200 m at the 2018 NCAA Division I Championships
Personal information
Full nameEjowvokoghene Divine Oduduru
Born (1996-10-07) 7 October 1996
Ughelli, Delta State, Nigeria[1]
Years active2007 – present
Height170 cm (5 ft 7 in)[2]
Weight70 kg (154 lb)[3]
Sport
CountryNigeria
SportAthletics
Sprints100 meters, 200 m
College teamTexas Tech Red Raiders (2018, 2019)
TeamPuma[4]
Turned pro2019[5]
Coached byWes Kittley[6]
Calvin Robinson[7]
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Nigeria
African Championships
Gold medal – first place2014 Marrakesh4×100 m relay
Silver medal – second place2018 Asaba200 m
Silver medal – second place2018 Asaba4×100 m relay
African Games
Silver medal – second place2015 Brazzaville200 m
Silver medal – second place2019 Rabat4×100 m relay
Silver medal – second place2019 Rabat200 m
World Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place2014 Oregon200 m
African Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place2015 Addis Ababa100 m
Gold medal – first place2015 Addis Ababa200 m
Gold medal – first place2013 Réduit200 m
Gold medal – first place2015 Addis Ababa4×100 m relay
Gold medal – first place2013 Réduit4×100 m relay
African Youth Championships
Gold medal – first place2013 Warri100 m
Gold medal – first place2013 Warri200 m
Bronze medal – third place2013 WarriMedley  relay
Updated on 3 February 2023.

In age category competitions, he was a twice-champion at the African Youth Athletics Championships,[10] a five-time African Junior Champion in the sprints[11] and the 200 m silver medallist at the 2014 World Junior Championships.[12] He represented his country as a senior athlete at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2014 African Championships in Athletics, before winning 200 m silver medals at the 2015 and 2019 African Games as well as the 2018 African Championships.[13]

He is a two-time Nigerian national champion[14] and is a four-time NCAA champion in American collegiate competition, running for the Texas Tech Red Raiders.[15] He is sponsored by Puma.[4]

Career

Under-20 competition

He was the gold medalist in both the 100 metres and 200 metres at the 2013 African Youth Athletics Championships.[16] He was a finalist in the 200 m at the 2013 World Youth Championships in Athletics.[17] He won the 200 m at the 2013 African Junior Championships[17] and was also a member of the Gold medal winning 4 × 100 m relay quartet.[18] He successfully defended his 200 m title at the 2015 African Junior Championships and also added the 100 m and 4 × 100 m gold medals to his tally.[19] This made him a five-time African Junior Champion.

Oduduru became known for his interviews, with his interviews at the 2013 World Youth Championships in Athletics gaining popularity among fans, including his phrase 'deadly day'.[20][21] Memes and videos have been generated using his responses to journalists. He lamented the inadequate support for Nigerian athletes and made a plea for sponsorship during the 2016 Nigeria Championships.[22]

In 2014, he dipped under 21 seconds for the first time. He became the Nigerian National Champion in the 200 metres.[23] After setting a PB of 20.66 s in the semifinals at the 2014 World Junior Championships, he went on to win the silver medal in a windy 20.25 s behind Trentavis Friday of the US.[24]

Senior career

He led off the Nigerian 4x100 metres relay team at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, a team supported by former American athletes, Monzavous Edwards and Mark Jelks, who were running for Nigeria in their first international relay.[25][26]

Due to illness, he pulled out of the 2015 Nigerian Championships and could not defend his 200 m title. He, however, bounced back for the All-Africa Games in Brazzaville. Oduduru ran a PB of 20.45 s into a headwind of 1.2 m/s to win the silver medal behind Ivorian sprinter, Hua Wilfried Koffi.[27] His team mate and 2015 Nigerian champion Tega Odele placed third. Oduduru was selected for the 200 m at the 2016 African Championships in Durban. After posting the second-fastest time in the semifinals, he did not run in the finals due to injury.[28]

At the 2018 Michael Johnson Invitational meet in Waco, Texas, Divine improved his personal best in the 100 m to 10.10 s, improving the Texas Tech school record by 0.01 s.[29][6] A year later at the same meet he improved his personal bests and set world-leading times of 9.94 s and 19.76 s, in the 100 m and 200 m respectively.[7] His time in the 200 m broke the national record of 19.84 s set by Francis Obikwelu in 1999.[30]

During 2019, he focused mainly on collegiate competition. He set a personal best in the 60-meter dash at the 2019 Big 12 Indoor Championships, running 6.52 seconds for the distance to win the regional title. He also won the 200 m Big 12 Indoor title.[31][32] At the 2019 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships he won the 200 m title and placed seventh in the 60 m final. At the Big 12 Outdoor Championships, he won the 100 m in 9.99 seconds, having broken the 10-second barrier for the first time at the earlier Michael Johnson Invitational meet. He also helped the Texas Tech Red Raiders to the 4 × 100 m relay title. At the 2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships, he won a sprint double in the 100 m and 200 m, as well as taking third in the 4 × 100 m relay. His 100 m time of 9.86 seconds was the fastest in the world at that point of the season, and his 200 m time of 19.73 seconds was a championships record.[33]

Oduduru made his debut on the 2019 IAAF Diamond League circuit at the 2019 Herculis meet, but finished in last place.[8]

2023: Prohibited substance suspension

On February 9, 2023, Athletics Integrity Unit announced that Oduduru had been provisionally suspended for possession/use or attempted use of a prohibited substance (two potential Anti-Doping Rule Violations) in connection with the case of Blessing Okagbare, his compatriot banned for 11 years in 2022. Oduduru faces a six-year ban.[34] On October 12, 2023, the AIU gave him a six-year ban starting from February 9, 2023. All of his results from July 12, 2021 were disqualified. [35]

Statistics

Personal bests
EventTimeWindVenueDateNotes
60 m indoor6.52 i—Lubbock, TX, U.S.23 February 2019
100 m9.86+0.8 m/sAustin, TX, U.S.7 June 2019
200 m19.73+0.8 m/sAustin, TX, U.S.7 June 2019NR
200 m indoor20.08 i—Lubbock, TX, U.S.23 February 2019NR #3 all time
4×100 m relay38.45—Austin, Texas, U.S.7 June 2019

Seasonal bests
Year100 metres200 metres
201310.6121.13
201410.3920.66
201510.3720.45
201610.2520.34
201710.09 w20.45 w
201810.1020.13
20199.8619.73
202010.1020.22
202110.0519.88

International competitions
Representing  Nigeria
YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventTimeWind (m/s)Notes
2013 African Youth Championships Warri, Nigeria 1st100 m10.62+0.7
1st200 m21.56−1.5PB
3rdMedley relay1:54.58—PB[36]
World Youth Championships Donetsk, Ukraine 21st100 m11.05−1.3[37]
1st (semi 2)Medley relay1:52.90—Q[note 1], PB
6th200 m21.37−1.0
African Junior Championships Réduit, Mauritius 1st4×100 m relay40.36—PB
1st200 m21.19−3.6
2014 World Junior Championships Eugene, OR, United States 2nd200 m20.25 w+2.3Wind-assisted
5th4×100 m relay39.66—PB
Commonwealth Games Glasgow, Scotland 6th4×100 m relay40.17—
African Championships Marrakesh, Morocco 1st (semi 1)4×100 m relay39.51—Q[note 2], PB
6th200 m20.81−0.8
2015 African Junior Championships Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 1st100 m10.44−1.1SB
1st200 m21.22−2.3
1st4×100 m relay39.99—SB
World Relays Nassau, Bahamas DQ (semi 1)4×200 m relay——Passing outside zone[40]
African Games Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo 1st (semi 2)4×100 m relay38.97—Q[note 3], PB
2nd200 m20.45−1.2PB
2016 African Championships Durban, South Africa 1st (semi 3)200 m20.48+1.6Q[note 4]
Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 20th200 m20.59−0.3[43]
2018 African Championships Asaba, Nigeria 2nd4×100 m relay38.74—PB[44]
2nd200 m20.60NWI[44][45]
2019African GamesRabat, Morocco2nd4×100 m relay38.59—
2nd200 m20.54−0.8
World ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar22nd (sf)200 m20.84−0.1
2021Olympic GamesTokyo, JapanDQ (heat 5)100 m—+0.6False start
9th (sf)200 m20.16−0.2

National competitions
Representing the Texas Tech Red Raiders (2018–2019)
YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventTimeWind (m/s)Notes
2014 Nigerian Championships Calabar, Cross River, Nigeria 6th100 m10.54−2.3
1st200 m20.87−1.3
2016 Nigerian Championships Sapele, Delta, Nigeria 2nd100 m10.250.0PB
1st200 m20.510.0
2018 NCAA Division I Indoor Championships College Station, Texas, U.S. 6th60 m6.62—
2nd200 m20.21—
NCAA Division I Championships Eugene, Oregon, U.S. 11th100 m10.12+1.2
13th4×100 m relay39.37—
1st200 m20.280.0
2019 NCAA Division I Indoor Championships Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. 7th60 m6.62—
1st200 m20.49—
NCAA Division I Championships Austin, Texas, U.S. 3rd 4×100 m relay 38.45 — PB
1st 100 m 9.86 +0.8 WL, PB[46][47]
1st 200 m 19.73 +0.8 NR, CR, PB[46][47][48]
  • NCAA results from Track & Field Results Reporting System.[49]

See also

Notes
  1. The team qualified for the final with Oduduru in the semis,[38] but he was replaced in the final with another runner; The squad that ran in the final finished 7th.[39]
  2. The team qualified for the final with Oduduru in the semis, but he was replaced with another runner in the final; The squad that ran in the final finished first, earning the team gold medals.
  3. The team qualified for the final with Oduduru in the semis,[41] but he was replaced with another runner in the final; The squad that ran in the final was disqualified.[42]
  4. Qualified for the final, but did not start (DNS) in it.

References
  1. "Divine Oduduru". texastech.com. Texas Tech Red Raiders. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  2. "Divine Oduduru". pintaram.com. Asaba 2018. 13 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  3. "Divine Oduduru". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  4. "PUMA signs NCAA 100/200 superstar Divine Oduduru + 100h world leader Janeek Brown to endorsement deals". letsrun.com. 11 July 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  5. Zahn, Jennifer (13 June 2019). "A Running List Of College Athletes Going Pro In 2019". flotrack.org. FloTrack. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  6. "Tech sports roundup: Oduduru sets school record in 100 meters". lubbockonline.com. Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. 21 April 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  7. Dede, Steve (22 April 2019). "Nigerian sprinter Divine Oduduru runs 2019 world fastest time in 100m and 200m". pulse.ng. Pulse (Nigeria). Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  8. "ATHLETE PROFILE Divine ODUDURU". World Athletics. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  9. "Nigerian athletes who could break Fasuba's 14-year-old African record". guardian.ng. 4 April 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  10. Olus, Yemi (20 September 2016). "Nigerian Olympians Oduduru, Erayokan confirmed for Top Sprinter 2016". MAKING OF CHAMPIONS. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  11. Ezekute, Nnamdi (21 April 2019). "Oduduru: I worked For My 100/200m Feats At Michael Johnson Invitational". Complete Sports. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  12. Akani, Bambo (26 July 2014). "Oduduru wins 200m World Junior Silver with wind-assisted 20.25s, equalling 5th fastest Nigerians all-time!". MAKING OF CHAMPIONS. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  13. Maduewesi, Christopher (14 May 2018). "Oduduru sets new 200m PB of 20.13s to win Triple titles in Texas". MAKING OF CHAMPIONS. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  14. "Oduduru: I was frustrated with the AFN". TheCable. 2 October 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  15. "Team Visa welcomes Nigerian track and field sprinter Divine Oduduru to their Tokyo 2020 cohort". Pulse Nigeria. 23 January 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  16. "African Athletics » Nigeria's Oduduru all fired up for Ouagadougou next week". www.africanathletics.org. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  17. "VIDEO: I worked for it and I got it, says world best sprinter Divine Oduduru". Punch Newspapers. 21 April 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  18. "IAAF: Ethiopian and Nigerian athletes impress at African Junior Champs| News | iaaf.org". iaaf.org. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  19. "IAAF: 5000m double for hosts Ethiopia at African Junior Championships| News | iaaf.org". iaaf.org. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  20. IAAF Official (13 July 2013), WYC Donetsk 2013 - Ejowvokoghene Divine ODUDURU NGR - 200m Boys - Semi-final, retrieved 20 July 2016
  21. IAAF Official (12 July 2013), WYC Donetsk 2013 - Ejowvokoghene Divine ODUDURU NGR - 200m Boys - Heat, retrieved 20 July 2016
  22. MakingOf Champs (11 July 2016), "Nigerian Athletes are Suffering!" - Divine cries out to Sponsors to come to their rescue!!!, retrieved 20 July 2016
  23. "Divine Oduduru, 200m World Junior Silver Medallist vying for African Crown!". Making of Champions. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  24. "Day four report: TGI Friday for sprint fans – IAAF World Junior Championships, Oregon 2014| News". www.worldathletics.org. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  25. "Glasgow 2014 - Ejowvokoghene Oduduru Profile". g2014results.thecgf.com. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  26. "Results - Mens 4x100m Relay - Athletics - Glasgow 2014 - Commonwealth Games - BBC Sport". www.bbc.com. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014.
  27. "IAAF: Kenya's 4x400m men finish off the All-Africa Games in style| News | iaaf.org". iaaf.org. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  28. Olus, Yemi (9 July 2016). "Divine Oduduru storms to 200m title at Nigerian Trials in Sapele". MAKING OF CHAMPIONS. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  29. Johanna Gretschel (23 April 2018). "NCAA Weekend In Review: Josh Kerr Sets NCAA Record, TeeTee Terry Breaks Out". flotrack.org. FloTrack. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  30. Umunna, Isaac (22 April 2019). "How Divine Oduduru Broke Nigeria's Sprint Jinx". economywatchng.com. Economy Watch Nigeria. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  31. Don Williams (23 February 2019). "Texas Tech men win Big 12 track title in a runaway". lubbockonline.com. Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  32. Jon Mulkeen; Bob Ramsak (25 February 2019). "Brazier clocks 600m world best in New York, Lisek and Kendricks clear 5.93m world lead in Clermont Ferrand: Weekend indoor round-up". iaaf.org. IAAF. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  33. Jordon, Roy (2019-06-09). Oduduru blasts to 100/200 double at NCAA Championships, Holloway sizzles 12.98 . IAAF. Retrieved 2019-08-11.
  34. Dickinson, Marley (9 February 2023). "Four-time NCAA champion facing six-year ban for doping violations". Canadian Running Magazine. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  35. "Athletics-Nigerian sprinter Oduduru banned for six years for doping violations". The Star. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  36. "Full results of the 1st African Youth Championships". webcaa.org. Confederation of African Athletics. 31 March 2013. Archived from the original on 5 June 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  37. "100 Metres Boys - Semi-Final" (PDF). IAAF. 11 July 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  38. "Medley Relay Boys - Round 1" (PDF). IAAF. 13 July 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  39. "Medley Relay Boys - Final" (PDF). IAAF. 14 July 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  40. "Results 4 x 200 Metres (2 laps) Men - Round 1" (PDF). iaaf.org. IAAF. 3 May 2015. p. 1. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  41. "4 x 100 Relay - Men - First Round" (PDF). African Games. 14 September 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  42. "4 x 100 Relay - Men - Final" (PDF). African Games. 16 September 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  43. "Men's 200m - Standings". Rio 2016. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  44. "African championships, Asaba (Nigeria) 1-5/08/2018". africathle.com. Africathle. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  45. Gowon Akpodonor (29 August 2018). "U.S.-based sprinter, Oduduru spits fire, alleges neglect by government". guardian.ng. The Guardian (Nigeria). Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  46. Bret Bloomquist (7 June 2019). "Oduduru leads Texas Tech track to first-ever men's NCAA championship". El Paso Times. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  47. Roy Jordan (8 June 2019). "ODUDURU BLASTS TO 100/200 DOUBLE AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS, HOLLOWAY SIZZLES 12.98". iaaf.org. IAAF. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  48. Tunde Eludini (8 June 2019). "Divine Oduduru becomes second fastest African, sets new Nigerian record". premiumtimesng.com. Premium Times. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  49. "DIVINE ODUDURU TEXAS TECH". tfrrs.org. Track & Field Results Reporting System. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
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