Nigerian sprint sensation Rosemary Nwankwo has taken the positives from her experience at the World Athletics U20 Championships, despite narrowly missing out on a place in the women’s 100m final.
Nwankwo, one of Nigeria’s emerging sprint talents, finished fifth in her semi-final in 11.54 seconds, ending her hopes of progressing to the final.
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The teenager, however, believes her performance provided valuable lessons for her continued development, particularly after producing a strong start to the race.
Nwankwo said her ability to get away quickly was one of the positives from the semi-final but acknowledged that she needs to improve the closing stages of her races.
“My start was strong, but I think my finishing let me down. It’s something I have to work on because I know I can do better in that part of the race,” Nwankwo said.
The young Nigerian has enjoyed a rapid rise through the ranks and has already established herself as one of the country’s most promising junior sprinters. World Athletics lists her personal best at 11.34 seconds, recorded in Dakar in July 2026.
Her progress has also been evident on the continental stage. Nwankwo won the U18 100m silver medal at the 2025 African U18/U20 Championships and has continued to make the transition towards senior-level competition.
The 16-year-old was also included in Nigeria’s athletics squad for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, underlining the confidence the Athletics Federation of Nigeria has in her potential.
Rather than allowing the disappointment of missing the final to overshadow her campaign, Nwankwo is now focused on using the experience to sharpen the weaker areas of her race.
With her speed off the blocks already proving to be a major asset, improving her ability to maintain momentum through the final metres could be crucial as she continues her development into one of Nigeria’s next-generation sprint stars.
