Favour Ashe (born 28 April 2002) is a Nigerian sprinter.[1]

Favour Ashe
Personal information
Birth nameFavour Oghenetejiri Ashe
Nickname(s)The Nigerian Nightmare, Ashe Bolt
NationalityNigerian
Born (2002-04-28) 28 April 2002 (age 22)
Height183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Sport
SportTrack and Field
Event(s)60 metres, 100 metres, 200 metres
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)100m - 9.94s (Lexington, 2024)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Nigeria
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Birmingham 4×100 m relay

Career

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College career

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Ashe attended Otovwodo Grammar School in Ughelli, Nigeria before enrolling as a student at the University of Tennessee. Having only arrived in America in January 2022, Ashe came third in the men's 60-meter dash at the 2022 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships, and was runner up in the 100 metres at the 2022 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He also came fourth in the 4 x 100m relay running with Wayne Pinnock, Carey McLeod and Emmanuel Bynum.[2] In 2022 Ashe ran the fastest time in history by any Nigerian athlete in all conditions, running a wind assisted 9.79s (+3.0) 100m heat at the LSU invitational meet in Baton Rouge.[3] Following the 2022 collegiate season, he transferred to Auburn University to continue his studies and athletic career. In June 2023 he set a new personal best running 9.96s in the 100m at the NCAA Championships held in Texas.[4]

In May 2024, he ran 9.94 seconds for the 100 metres at the NCAA East regional finals in Lexington, Kentucky and in doing so became the first Nigerian sprinter to run sub-10 seconds five times in three consecutive years.[5] He was runner-up in the 100m at the 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon running 9.99 seconds in the final.

Senior career

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Ashe ran a legal 100m personal best of 9.99s to win gold at the Nigerian national championships in 2022.[6] At the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Ashe qualified through to the semi-finals running 10.00s in his heat.[7] He went on to end his season with a bronze medal in the 4 x 100m relay at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.[8]

In July 2024, he was officially named as part of the Nigerian team for the 2024 Paris Olympics.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Favour Oghene Tejiri ASHE | Profile | World Athletics". worldathletics.org.
  2. ^ "Favour Ashe - Track & Field". University of Tennessee Athletics.
  3. ^ Eludini, Tunde (May 4, 2022). "My best yet to come says new Nigeria sprint star, Favour Ashe".
  4. ^ "Ashe equals 100m school record at NCAA Outdoors Day One". Auburn Tigers. June 7, 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Ashe sets new Nigerian 100M record". Punchng. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  6. ^ Agberebi, James (August 1, 2022). "#2022CWG: Ashe Leads Battle For Nigeria's First 100m Gold". Complete Sports.
  7. ^ Eludini, Tunde (July 16, 2022). "World Championships: Ashe, Ekevwo qualify for 100m semis".
  8. ^ Maduewesi, Christopher (August 7, 2022). "Nigerian teams win GOLD & Bronze 4x100m relay medals in Birmingham". Making of Champions. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  9. ^ "AFN lists 35 track-and-field athletes for Olympics". punchng.com. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.