USA-based Nigerian sprinter, Divine Oduduru is determined to get better as the year rolls along and improve on the marks he set at the recent NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Alabama.
Oduduru won gold in the men’s 200m at USA’s 2019 NCAA Indoors on Saturday night, but sports247.ng learnt that many observers declared that his 20.46secs finish was well off his world lead of 20.08.
Other champions on the oval included Arkansas won the women’s team championship, as Sade Olatoye’s winning weight throw was 24.46m and she became the seventh lady to exceed 80 feet.
However, the focus was on Oduduru, who had to work hard for his first ever National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Indoor title, racing to victory in the men’s 200m, after appearing to initially struggle.
That created a wake-up call for Oduduru, who entered as the favourite, having clocked a very fast world leading mark of 20.08s which he ran last month in Lubbock, Texas.
Having missed the top three spots in the 60m earlier on, finishing 7th in 6.62s, Oduduru could not afford to miss the 200m title as well, though it came up 40 minutes after the 60m final.
In the 200m, Oduduru emerged fastest overall in the two heats, beating Kasaun James, who was behind him in 20.56s, while Keitavious Walter, who won heat 1 was third overall in 20.76s.
Oduduru then showed signs of things to come when he broke Christian Coleman’s 200m facility record of 20.55s to qualify, as he raced 20.34s on Friday, but could only hold off James to win the final in 20.46s.
Nontheless, the citation for Oduduru read in part: “He might not have been very fast on Saturday, but competed in two races within a space of 40 minutes.
“It was evident seeing signs of fatigue in the 200m final where he lasted the haul to outrun James in the home straight to take victory.
“This is Oduduru’s second 200m NCAA title, winning his first one in 2018 at an outdoor circuit nine months ago during finals of the NCAA Division 1 Championships in Oregon.
“This second title which he has just secured, sees him join an elite list of athletes to have won on both circuits.”
