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Rosemary Chukwuma and other Nigerian athletes in Texas Tech University, heads to the BIG 12 Indoor Championships aiming to churn out impressive performances.
Several Texas Tech University Nigerian athletes will compete at the BIG 12 Indoor Championships as they gun to win medals and earn points for their school.
This year's championship will interestingly hold at the schools Sports Performance Center in Lubbock, Texas, from Friday, February 24 - Saturday, February 25, as Texas Tech hosts the rest of the BIG 12 schools for the third time in five years (2019 and 2021).
Chukwuma targets 60m and 200m glory
Rosemary Chukwuma will aim for 60m and 200m titles when she lines up for her first event on Friday.
In her season's debut, the Texas Tech junior clocked a then massive Personal Best (PB), School Record (SR), and world-leading time of 7.11s. A few weeks later, she lowered this to 7.09s, which places her fifth on the Nigerian indoor all-time list and tied for seventh all-time in Africa.
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For the 200m, Chukwuma smashed her indoor PB of 23.49s with a new 22.99s, then sped to a faster 22.82s. Her performances this season mean she is the second athlete in the world, alongside the University of Texas Julien Alfred (7.00s and 22.56s), to have gone under 7.10s in the 60m and 23s in the 200m this year.
However, she will have a strong challenge in Alfred, who is the NCAA and collegiate record holder in the 60m with 7.00s.
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With Rhasidat Adeleke not entering for the 200m and instead allowed to focus on the 400m, the winners battle in the 60m and 200m will be between Chukwuma and Alfred.
Erhire aims for his first medal with Texas Tech
High jump sensation Best Erhire will aim to win his first medal for Texas Tech when he competes in his trademark event.
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Erhire made his season's best equalling his PB of 2.23m, and will target bettering this height to secure a podium finish.
He was the C-USA champion last year while still at Middle Tennessee State University, then transferred to Texas at the beginning of the 2023 season for the rest of his collegiate career.
Other Nigerian athletes in Texas Tech scheduled to compete are Onaara Obamuwaguan (triple jump) and Mercy Umoibang (60m and 200m).
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