Sports
NIGERIAN-BORN TEEN JARED EJIASIAN SMASHES U18 WORLD RECORD IN 60M HURDLES IN FRANCE
Sixteen-year-old Nigerian-born athlete Jared Ejiasian delivered a historic performance over the weekend, breaking the U18 world record in the men’s 60 metres hurdles at the French U18 and U20 Indoor Championships in Val-de-Reuil.
Competing at the French U18 and U20 Indoor Championships inside the Stade Couvert Jesse Owens, Ejiasian stormed to victory in a blistering 7.43 seconds on Saturday. His time eclipsed the previous world record of 7.48 seconds, set in 2019 by France’s Sasha Zhoya, by five hundredths of a second.
Ejiasian seized control of the race after clearing the second hurdle, accelerating away from the rest of the field before powering through the finish line in record-breaking fashion. The feat marks his second major indoor triumph this season. Earlier in January, the teenage hurdler had hinted at his rising dominance during the Tempo Run League indoor meet, where he won the same event in 7.57 seconds, establishing a new African U18 record.
Born in Nigeria, Ejiasian relocated to France at just three months old. Although he currently represents Nigeria in international competitions, reports indicate he has begun the naturalisation process to acquire French citizenship and could switch allegiance in the future. His rapid ascent has been years in the making. In 2024, Ejiasian set four French school records in the U14 category, three in the 200 metres hurdles and one in the 4×60 metres mixed relay, further underlining his prodigious talent.
Now competing for AC Nord Val d’Oise at league events, Ejiasian is widely regarded as one of the most promising young athletes in global sprint hurdling, with his latest achievement cementing his status as a rising force in track and field.
General News
EDO PARA-WEIGHTLIFTER EDOMWANDAGBON WINS FIRST GOLD FOR HOST STATE AT NIGER DELTA GAMES
Edo State Para-Weightlifter Philomena Edomwandagbon set the pace at the ongoing 2nd Niger Delta Games in Benin City by clinching the very first gold medal for the state.
Edomwandagbon outstanding performance in the 67kg category is a testament to resilience strength and unwavering determination.
However by mounting the podium as champion she has not only secured a proud moment for Team Edo but has also set the tone for what promises to be an inspiring and successful outing for athletes at this prestigious regional competition in its second edition.
Meanwhile with her golden moment on this historic feat Team Edo has truly begun on a winning note and this is just the beginning.
Imo State female boxer Odinaka Okorie has declared that her ultimate goal is to win the gold medal at the ongoing 2nd Niger Delta Games in Benin City Edo State.
Okorie fighting in the 51 kg class made her intention known after she defeated her opponent from Edo State Obaseki Esosa Favour in the first fight by a technical knockout. The Imo boxer dominated from the first round until it was stopped in the second round by the referee to save her opponent from further punishment.
In a chat with sports writers shortly after the fight she declared her readiness to take all her opponents to the cleaners as her ultimate goal is to win the gold medal.
Norway has etched its name deeper into Winter Olympics history, becoming the first nation to win 17 gold medals at a single edition of the Games after Johannes Dale-Skjevdal claimed victory in the men’s 15km biathlon mass start at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
The landmark win surpasses Norway’s previous record of 16 gold medals set at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, underlining the Scandinavian nation’s continued dominance in winter sports.
Competing in challenging conditions at the biathlon venue in Anterselva, Italy, Dale-Skjevdal delivered a flawless shooting performance, hitting all 20 targets, a rare and decisive achievement in the sport while skiing aggressively across five laps in newly packed snow and gusty winds. He finished in 39 minutes, 17.1 seconds, to secure his first Olympic gold medal.
“It’s quite a good ending to my first Olympics, and it is also my first time shooting 20 out of 20,” Dale-Skjevdal said after the race. “What a day to do it on. It’s real, and I can’t find the words.”
His teammate, Sturla Holm Laegreid, narrowly missed perfection, hitting 19 of 20 targets to take silver, finishing 10.5 seconds behind Dale-Skjevdal. The medal marked Laegreid’s fifth of the Milan-Cortina Games; three silvers and two bronzes, cementing his status as one of Norway’s standout performers at the event. Celebrating his 29th birthday on race day, Laegreid described the race as physically and mentally demanding.
“It was a tough race. The snow is very slow, and the conditions on the range are windy,” he said. “Today I was in fighter mode, so it suited me well.”
Germany’s Philipp Horn briefly occupied third position after missing just one target in his final shooting bout. However, France’s Quentin Fillon Maillet surged past him on a steep uphill section despite missing four targets overall, clinching bronze 25.6 seconds behind Dale-Skjevdal.
The record-breaking performance adds to Norway’s long-standing reputation as a powerhouse in winter sports, particularly in biathlon, cross-country skiing, and Nordic combined events. Since making its Winter Olympics debut in 1924, Norway has consistently ranked among the top medal-winning nations, with biathlon serving as one of its strongest disciplines.
With events still ongoing in Milan and Cortina, Norway’s medal tally could yet increase, further widening the gap between it and rival winter sports nations.