Nigeria has become the first country to win both the boys’ and girls’ 100m titles at the same edition of the Youth Olympic Games after teenagers Gift Bright and Rosemary Chigozie Nwankwo claimed gold at Dakar 2026 in Senegal.
The historic double came on Sunday, November 8, as athletics competitions began at the Games, with 15-year-old Bright winning the boys’ final in a Games-record time of 10.28 seconds before 17-year-old Nwankwo secured the girls’ title in 11.16 seconds.
Bright finished ahead of China’s Hangyu Zhang, who clocked 10.57 seconds, while Poland’s Szymon Dolega took bronze in 10.61 seconds. His winning time was also a personal best, improving on the 10.34 seconds he had recorded in the semi-finals.
The victory made Bright the first Nigerian athlete to win the boys’ 100m title at the Youth Olympic Games. Nwankwo completed the sprint double, finishing ahead of the United Arab Emirates’ Arwa Ali, who took silver in 11.41 seconds, and Qatar’s Dana Salem, who claimed bronze in 11.48 seconds.
Nigeria has become the first country to win both the boys’ and girls’ 100m titles at the same edition of the Youth Olympic Games after teenagers Gift Bright and Rosemary Chigozie Nwankwo claimed gold at Dakar 2026 in Senegal.
The historic double came on Sunday, November 8, as athletics competitions began at the Games, with 15-year-old Bright winning the boys’ final in a Games-record time of 10.28 seconds before 17-year-old Nwankwo secured the girls’ title in 11.16 seconds.
Bright finished ahead of China’s Hangyu Zhang, who clocked 10.57 seconds, while Poland’s Szymon Dolega took bronze in 10.61 seconds. His winning time was also a personal best, improving on the 10.34 seconds he had recorded in the semi-finals. The victory made Bright the first Nigerian athlete to win the boys’ 100m title at the Youth Olympic Games.
Nwankwo completed the sprint double, finishing ahead of the United Arab Emirates’ Arwa Ali, who took silver in 11.41 seconds, and Qatar’s Dana Salem, who claimed bronze in 11.48 seconds.
Africa Global News publication.
