Judul : Olatunde eyes national glory after new PB in Abeokuta
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Olatunde eyes national glory after new PB in Abeokuta
Nigerian sprinter Olaolu Olatunde says he is targeting the upcoming national trials after clocking a new personal best of 10.13s to win the men’s 100m final at the South West Athletics Conference Pre-National Championships meet in Abeokuta.
The US-based sprinter beat Olympian Enoch Adegoke, who finished second in 10.25s, to take the top spot in a race that signalled an important step forward in Olatunde’s blossoming career.
Speaking with PUNCH Sports Extra on Tuesday, the NCAA Division II finalist, who broke Harding University’s school records with 10.14s (+3.3) in the 100m and 20.65s (+1.4) in the 200m in May, said returning to Nigeria and racing on familiar soil has been nothing short of special.
“In one word, wonderful,” he said when asked how it felt to be back.
“Coming back and stepping on the starting line, knowing everybody and just having fun again has been so special. Even during my first race here, it was all about enjoying the moment.”
The 22-year-old, who also ran a wind-assisted 9.95s (+4.0) earlier in the season, says reconnecting with old teammates and the familiar environment has further fuelled his motivation to succeed.
“Being here again, seeing Enoch, Chidera, Surprise, and all my teammates and friends at Yabatech last week, it’s been so good,” he said.
“We all know where we came from, and that bond is still strong. Coming back has lifted me in ways I didn’t expect.”
Olatunde, who is currently Nigeria’s second-fastest man over 200m this season with 20.39s, says his focus is firmly on the national trials.
Having already clocked 10.1 seconds “easily” in his words, Olatunde is keeping his targets open heading into the trials, but has confirmed he will double in both the 100 and 200m.
“I’ll definitely be competing in the 100 and 200m at the national trials,” he confirmed.
“But before that, I hope to run a couple more races.”
He, however, declined to give a time prediction for the upcoming events. “I won’t give a specific time because I don’t want to limit myself. I believe anything can happen, so I’m staying open.”
The Abeokuta performance came just days after he made headlines at the AFN/Dynamic Athletics Meet at Yabatech last Thursday, where he won his 100m heat in 10.19s. However, he did not return for the final due to a prolonged delay and concerns over the risk of injury.
“Honestly, I wanted to compete, so I was really looking forward to it because I felt like I could really push myself,” he explained to PUNCH Sports Extra.
“But we were meant to run over four hours earlier. I warmed up, cooled down, warmed up again. Eventually, my coaches and I decided it would be wise not to run. We waited too long, and we didn’t want to risk any injury.”
Despite his disappointment, Olatunde says he remains focused and full of gratitude.
“I’m extremely disappointed I didn’t get a chance to run the final, but I’m grateful to the Lord for the opportunity. So many things could have happened, and I’ve been protected from them. I’m just happy for everyone today because a lot of my friends ran personal bests too,” he admitted.
With national trials looming, Olatunde says he is ready to test himself against the country’s best.
“While I’m here, I want to compete against some of my teammates like Ajayi when they come out,” he said.
“I’m just waiting for it, and I’m happy.”
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