Imaobong Nse Uko

Imaobong Nse Uko (born 20 February 2004) is a Nigerian athlete.[1] She competed in the mixed 4 × 400 metres relay event at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[2][3] The 17-year-old won the 400 metres at the 2021 World Under 20 Championships.

Imaobong Nse Uko
Personal information
NationalityNigerian
Born (2004-02-20) 20 February 2004
Ibeno, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria
Sport
SportAthletics
Event(s)400 metres
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)400 metres: 51.24 (Lubbock, Texas 2022)
Medal record
Women's Athletics
Representing  Nigeria
World U20 Championships
Gold medal – first place2021 Nairobi400m
Gold medal – first place2021 Nairobi4×400m relay
Gold medal – first place2021 Nairobimixed 4x400 m

Career

Uko finished her secondary education at the Apostolic Church Secondary School, Ikot Oku Nsit. She was the Youth 400m champion at the Akwa Ibom Youth Sports Festival in 2018.[4] She finished in second place at the meet the previous year.[5]

At the age of 14, she became the Nigeria National Sports Festival (NSF) Champion in the 400 metres, winning the title in a personal best of 52.36s. She caused an upset which surprised the journalists and officials as she beat older and more experienced athletes to take the title.[6] Yinka Ajayi had been in superb form that year, making the Commonwealth Games final and finishing third over the 400m at the African Championships; so she was expected to take the title. However, Ajayi, had to settle for second place behind the teenager. This occasion was when Uko announced herself to the rest of Nigeria as one to watch for the future. After the event, the Akwa Ibom government rewarded her and her coach.[7]

She was also the 2019 Nigerian U18 Champion in the 400 metres.[8]

She successfully defended her NSF title in 2021. During the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival, which was held in 2021 after they had been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she went under 52s for the first time.[9] She beat Patience Okon George on that occasion to win the title in a personal best of 51.70s. She also anchored Team Akwa Ibom to a win in the Women's 4 × 400 m relay. Her performances at the Festival prompted her selection in the Nigerian team that was sent to train in the United States before the Tokyo Olympic Games.[10] She placed third at the 2021 Nigerian Athletics Championships and Olympic Trials behind George and Knowledge Omovoh which helped secure her place on the Olympic squad.[11]

During the World U20 Championships, she ran the second leg of the mixed 4x400 metres relay. The Nigerian team, made up of Johnson Chidera Nnamani, Uko, Opeyemi Deborah Oke and Bamidele Ajayi, won the event in a Championship record time of 3:19.70.[12]

References
  1. "Imaobong Nse Uko". Olympedia. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  2. "Athletics - Round 1 - Heat 1 Results". Tokyo 2020. Archived from the original on 30 July 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  3. "Olympics: Nigeria finishes last in 4 x 400 mixed relay heat". Vanguard News. 30 July 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  4. "Nse Imaobong Uko Wins Girl's 400m final at the 2018 Akwa Ibom Youth Sports Festival" – via www.youtube.com.
  5. "School children thrill at 1st Akwa Ibom Youth Sports Festival". 25 March 2017.
  6. "The 19th National Sports Festival and matters arising". Vanguard News. 22 December 2018.
  7. "14-Year-Old Female Athlete Who Set New 400M Record Becomes N1Million Richer". 25 April 2019.
  8. Umeh, Azu (19 March 2019). "Athletics: Youth and Junior Champions Emerge At 2019 U18 And U20 Athletics Trials".
  9. https://www.makingofchamps.com/2021/04/11/imaobong-runs-new-personal-bestof-51-70-to-win-womens-400m-at-national-sports-festival/
  10. "Adegoke, Nse Uko, Okon George Chase Olympics Qualification Tickets To Dallas". 17 May 2021.
  11. "Okezie & Okon-George win men's & women's 400m titles at Nigerian Olympic Trials". 18 June 2021.
  12. "Nairobi21 report-nairobi-world-u20 News | WJC 21 | World Athletics". World Athletics.
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