Nigeria’s Rosemary Chigozie Nwankwo has made the country proud after winning its first gold medal at the competition in Dakar, Senegal.

Nwankwo, who was entrusted with the honour of carrying Nigeria’s flag during the opening ceremony, has justified the confidence reposed in her with an outstanding performance.

The young Nigerian athlete delivered a remarkable display to secure the country’s first gold medal, giving Team Nigeria an early boost and a reason to celebrate.

The 17-year-old sprinter won the women’s 100-metre final in an impressive time of 11.16 seconds, finishing ahead of Arwa Ali of the United Arab Emirates, who clocked 11.41 seconds, while Qatar’s Dana Salem took bronze in 11.48 seconds.

Her victory also made her the third Nigerian female athlete to win the women’s 100m title at the Youth Olympic Games, following Josephine Omaka in 2010 and Rosemary Chukwuma in 2018. In another remarkable achievement, Nigeria’s Gift Bright also won gold in the men’s 100 metres, clocking a personal-best 10.28 seconds.

The double victory made Nigeria the first country to win both the men’s and women’s 100m titles at the same edition of the Youth Olympic Games. Nwankwo’s triumph is a proud moment for Nigerian athletics and a testament to the country’s emerging sporting talents.

Nigeria’s golden girl has certainly justified the confidence placed in her!