While Nigerians continue to bewail the performance of female Hurdlers in international competitions, a peep down memory lane reveals that the country once boasted of superstars who not only conquered Africa and the Commonwealth but also threatened the world.
Of all the Hurdlers, the trio of Modupe Oshikoya, Maria Usifo and Glory Alozie stand out. Although they all took part in the Olympic Games, only Alozie was able to win not just an Olympic silver medal, she also bagged silver at the World Athletics Championships.
It all began with the 100m Hurdles bronze medal by Obayemi at the First All Africa Games, Brazzaville ’65. The Nigerian men did better with Folu Erinle gaining pole position in the men’s 110 metres Hurdles. The silver went to Eddie Akika.
Oshikoya became the biggest name in national Hurdles when she beat Emilia Edet to pick gold at the Second All Africa Games, Lagos ’73. The athlete won two more gold in High Jump and Long Jump. At the Third All Africa Games, Algiers’78 two more gold medals, in the Long Jump and High Jump came her way to make a total of five.
There was an interesting side to all her 1973 gold medals. Silver followed Nigeria while the bronze went to East Africa. Edet in the Hurdles, Agnes Aghagba in the High Jump and M.Odafin the Long Jump. Ugandans, Budesia Nyakecho and Christine Yabanda won bronze in the Hurdles and Long Jump while M.Chesire of Kenya finished third in the High Jump.
Oshikoya was golden in the 100m Hurdles of the Christchurch ’74 Commonwealth Games. In 1982, she was champion in the 100m, 100m Hurdles, High Jump and Long Jump at the University of California, Los Angeles. That was ten years after her Olympics debut in Munich.
In the 100m Hurdles, after Osikoya came the Bellgam sisters, Bela and Julia. The former was national champion in 1974, her sister won in 1978. Other notable champions were Felicia Ochonogor, Hilda Oseni, the University of Benin girl who reigned in the years Uniben also had another national champion in Ogmore Okoro in the field event. Mosun Adesina and Hope Obika came later.
Greater than these names was Maria Usifo. She became not only 100m Hurdles Champion, she ruled the 400m Hurdles for long. The first female 400m Hurdler was Joan Elumelu who won the National Championships in 1979. Elumelu who almost became Miss Nigeria in 1981 has ventured into other fields as Mrs Okorodudu.
Usifo became double national champion in 1981 and retained the 100m and 400m Hurdles in 1982. From there, there was no stopping her. She won seven gold medals as African queen. At Rabat ’84, Usifo claimed the 100m Hurdles. In Cairo ’85,it was a double, a feat she repeated at the Nairobi’87 All Africa Games.
At the Annaba ’88 African Championships, Usifo was best in the 100m Hurdles. She won 400m Hurdles goals at Lagos ’89. By 1985, the International Amateur Athletics Federation had picked her as the best female Hurdler in Africa. Usifo took part in two Olympic Games, Los Angeles ’84 and Seoul ’88, albeit with no medal around her neck.
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Following her in the 400m Hurdles were Florence Agbi, national champion in 1984, Rose Hart and Seun Adigun, who also like Usifo, made it to Los Angeles but came back empty handed.
Another set of sisters appeared after the Bellgams. Twin sisters, Omolade and Omotayo Akinremi, finished second and third at the Cairo ’91 African championships. They lost the 400m Hurdles gold medal to Nezha Bidouane of Morocco.
Omolade had stormed the globe in 1986 at the World Junior Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria in 1986. She won bronze in the 400m Hurdles. Compatriot, Davidson Ezinwa, was outstanding, winning the 100m and 200m. Another gold came from Fatima Yusuf in the women’s Quarter mile race.
Glory Alozie went beyond them. She capped it all with an Olympic silver medal at the Sydney 2000 Games. Four years earlier, the Abia born hurdler finished second at the World Junior Championships in the same Australian city. She was beaten by Joyce Bates of the United States.
At the 1999 World Indoor Championships in Maebashi, Japan Alozie lost the 60m Hurdles gold to Kazakhstan’s Olga Shishigina. It was another silver at the Sevilla ’99 World Championships. Winner was American, Gail Devers.
In Sydney, Alozie lost her lover, Hyginus Anugom, in an accident. He was knocked down by a teenage driver. In the 100m Hurdles semi finals, Devers crashed out. Everyone thought it was going to be Nigeria’s day of glory. Shishigina spoilt the fun in the last seconds. Another silver for Glory Alozie and Nigeria.
She later switched allegiance to Spain. By 2003, Alozie was Europe’s 100m Hurdles champion. At the Ninth World Indoor Championships, Birmingham 2003, she won silver for Spain in the 60m Hurdles.