By Ben Efe 12.4.2026
Nigeria’s newest sprint sensation Blessing Ogundiran Saturday turned up with a massive 10.98seconds run at the South Florida Invitational 100m women’s race to announce herself in world sprint recooking.
The feat, which is her all-time best and a joint world leading time makes her the ninth Nigerian woman to have broken the 11 seconds barrier. And the coach who taught her how to run from the cradle, Ibrahim Abiodun Friday a.k.a coach Abbey says her best is yet to come.
During the indoor season Ogundiran who joined Werner University athletics team in 2025 with a 7.20 secs personal best painted a picture of an athlete who is ready to take on the world and rightly so, she proved that she is in fine form and in good hands to make herself and her country proud. She started the outdoor season with an 11.37seconds, followed up with 11.21 secs before coming up with her new personal best.
“I’m so overwhelmed with emotions I cannot just describe how I’m feeling about her achievement,” said coach Abbey.
” What I can say is that she has come a long and deserves all the results she is getting. She has always had that strong determination to succeed, and I can promise you that she’ll do better for herself in the years to come.”
Coach Abbey said he is happy Ogundiran has kept her head down and has not been swallowed by the newfound freedom in the USA and got lost like so many other Nigerians athletes, who couldn’t stay focus.
“I must give credit to coach Taiwo Ariyo, head coach of Warner University, he has helped Blessing to stay focused and learn.
“Mr. T has done an excellent job and I am confident that Blessing under his watch will give us a bigger performance in a time to come.”
Blessing Ogundiran...waking up to new horizons.