Nigerian sprinter, Udodi Chudi Onwuzurike has been ranked a distant 12th on the card of paticipants in the 200m event at the maiden World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary, Sports247 reports.
This is despite his heroic efforts in winning a silver medal in the same event at this year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Sctoland, where he also helped Nigeria snatch bronze in the men’s 4x100m relay.
Amazingly, Onwuzurike has not been rated high among possible medalists at the inaugural Ultimate Championship, as the spotlight was reserved for USA’s Kenneth Bednarek, Letsile Tebogo, Sinesipho Dambile and Bryan Levell.
A preview noted in part, “Kenneth Bednarek could hardly arrive at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in better form.
The two-time Olympic silver medallist equalled his world-leading 19.62 in Brussels last weekend to claim his third Diamond League title.
“Standing between Bednarek and the Ultimate crown is the man who beat him to Olympic gold in Paris, Letsile Tebogo, (who) produced an African record of 19.46 for that victory and has run 19.84 this season, winning the Diamond League meeting in Oslo.
“Sinesipho Dambile has been faster in 2026 (as) the South African stormed to a lifetime best of 19.74 in Doha in June and followed it by winning Commonwealth gold in Glasgow in 19.96. He was also second to Bednarek at the Diamond League Final.
“Bryan Levell brings major championship pedigree of his own. The Jamaican claimed world bronze in Tokyo last year with a PB of 19.64, finishing immediately behind Bednarek and ahead of Tebogo.”
Sports247 gathered further that, while the preview went on to note the potential of Alexander Ogando, who also reached that world final along with Dambile, nothing was stated about the presence of Onwuzurike.
It’s now left to be seen if Onwuzurike will prove all doubters wrong on Sunday, as he goes out into the star-studded field in the Hungarian captail for the men’s 200m semi-finals late Sunday, with eyes on the final at 7:30pm local time.
