Rosemary Nwankwo: Secondary School Student Reacts After Winning Youth Olympics 100m Gold for Nigeria
- Nigerian teenage sprinter Rosemary Nwankwo won gold in the girls' 100m at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal
- Nwankwo became the third Nigerian woman to claim the event, following victories in Singapore 2010 and Buenos Aires 2018
- Her win came as compatriot Gift Bright also took gold in the men's 100m, making Nigeria the first country to sweep both titles at a single edition
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Nigeria's 17-year-old sprinter Rosemary Chigozie Nwankwo clinched gold in the girls' 100 metres final at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, crossing the line in a wind-assisted 11.16 seconds to open Nigeria's gold-medal tally at the Games.
Arwa Ali of the United Arab Emirates finished second in 11.41 seconds, with Dana Salem of Qatar taking bronze in 11.48 seconds.
Source: Getty Images
Nwankwo is a student at NTIC School and had earlier booked her place in the final by winning her semi-final heat in 11.53 seconds, before delivering an even stronger run when it mattered most.
Nigeria makes history in Dakar
The victory gave Nigeria a remarkable double in the sprint events.
Compatriot Gift Bright also won gold in the men's 100m with a personal-best time of 10.28 seconds, making Nigeria the first country to win both the 100m titles at the same edition of the Youth Olympic Games.
As seen on Olympics official website, Nwankwo is now the third Nigerian woman to win this specific gold medal, following in the footsteps of Josephine Omaka, who triumphed in Singapore in 2010, and Rosemary Chukwuma, who claimed the title in Buenos Aires in 2018.
Across all Youth Olympics sprint events since 2010, Nigeria has accumulated five titles in the 100m and 200m combined, more than any other nation.
The 2026 Youth Olympic Games, running from October 31 to November 13, also carry a wider significance as the first Olympic sporting event ever held on African soil.
Nwankwo's journey to the top
The teenager from Mbaukwu arrived in Dakar with an impressive résumé for her age.
Earlier in 2026, Nwankwo won gold in the 4x100m relay at the African Athletics Championships in Accra. She also reached the semi-finals of the 100m at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Sports 247 reports.
Her rise has been guided in part by Mary Onyali-Omagbemi, a five-time Olympian and bronze medallist in the 200m at Atlanta 1996 and the 4x100m relay at Barcelona 1992, who also hails from Mbaukwu.
Now 58, Onyali-Omagbemi has mentored Nwankwo and publicly predicted her success before the Games began.
Nwankwo reacts after historic win
The champion wasted little time sharing her feelings after the race.
Taking to Instagram, Nwankwo posted on her official page:
"This day will forever live with me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!😁"
Her gold medal also put NTIC School in the global spotlight, with the institution widely credited for helping shape the young sprinter's talent and discipline outside of competition.
Major competitions Nigeria will miss in 2027
Legit.ng previously reported about Nigeria’s qualification setbacks, with the Super Falcons, Flying Eagles, Golden Eaglets and Super Sand Eagles set to miss six major competitions in 2027.
The failures follow Nigeria’s absence from the 2026 FIFA World Cup and could keep the Golden Eaglets from a global tournament they have won five times.
Source: Legit.ng
