Osheku Athletics Academy Graduates Shine At Vanderbilt Invitational Indoor Meet

Two Osheku Athletics Academy graduates were in good form at the weekend at the 20199 Vanderbilt Invitational Indoor meeting in Nashville, capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee, Completesports.com reports.

Middle distance runner, Abike Egbeniyi raced home first in 2:03.77 seconds over 800m on an oversized track which renders her world-leading time unacceptable. USA’s Karisa Nelson holds the fastest time in the world so far this year at 2:05.47 which she ran last Friday in Birmingham, Alabama, USA.

Egbeniyi, the Nigerian record holder in the two full laps race indoors at 2:04.45 is however the second fastest woman in the world (1:27.80) over 600m indoors.

Also Read: Osheku Athletics Academy Celebrates Egbeniyi’s Historic NCAA Feat

Also very impressive at the Vanderbilt meeting was Isaac Odugbesan whose 18.79m effort over the Shot Put is a new personal best for the Lagos-born teenager. Odugbesan has been growing in geometrical proportion since he moved to Middle Tennessee State University in late 2017 as a 16m Shot Putter.

In his first season at the school he improved to 17.74 personal best indoors while outdoors he was able to put 18.72m.

He opened his indoor campaign this season with a 17.75m effort at the Nashville Edward Temple Classic in Nashville on January 06 and improved to 18.04m penultimate weekend before smashing his personal best in Vanderbilt on Saturday.

Anthony Osheku, Nigeria’s most successfull coach in the 1990s and early 2000s who facilitated Odugbesan’s move to Middle
Tennesse State University on a track and field schorlaship believes the teenager is on course to doing great things this year.

Also Read: Osheku Athletics Academy Gets Ex-AFN President Ngerem Boost

“I remember Middle Tennessee’s head coach told me he didn’t want a shot putter when I approached him for a scholarship for Isaac but I told him he will not regret it if he gives him a chance. I am happy Isaac has not disappointed him. I saw the talent in him when he was training with me and had no hesitation in recommending him for a scholarship albeit he was just throwing 16m in 2017,” said Osheku who facilitated Blessing Okagbare’s move to University of Texas in El Paso (UTEP) in 2007 and trained Falilat Ogunkoya to two Olympic titles and two African records.

Also in great form at the Vanderbilt meeting was long jumper, Fabian Edoki who leapt a distance of 8.01m to win the event. The mark is the third best mark in the world so far this year and Edoki, who has a 8.10m personal best in the event achieved last March is one of the athletes Nigeria will be looking up to for a good performance at the IAAF World Championships in Doha this September.

By Dare Esan