A very delighted Favour Ashe after racing to a new 100m Personal Best of 10.40s

Making of Champions’ (MoC) young, promising athlete, Favour Ashe, has qualified for the World U20 Championships in Kenya, storming to a 2020 World U20 Leading 100m Personal Best (PB) of 10.40s at the All-Comers meet held at the weekend in Akure.

It was such a remarkable performance from Ashe who posted the second fastest time overall in the men’s 100m heats at the competition, winning Heat 12 and leaving the spectators stunned and screaming in excitement after seeing the time he clocked on crossing the line.

For someone who is yet to turn 18 (doesn’t clock that until April), it was a spectacular display that has seen him become the fastest Nigerian Junior athlete this year, and also easily smashing the 100m qualification standard for Nairobi.

Favour Ashe easily won his 100m heat, running a new PB to take the victory

It was not that Ashe marginally qualified for the World Junior Championships, he completely surpassed the qualifying standard of 10.58s by a mile, thereby putting himself in frame for a medal come July, as he would definitely improve further as the season progresses.

Prior to the meet in Akure, New Zealand’s Edward Osei-Nketia led the world’s Top List with a time of 10.41s which he ran last month in his home country, but Ashe moved up the ladder, topping the list by one-hundredth of a second, his first global ranking in his young career.

Later that evening in Akure after his feat in the heats, Ashe, who was competing in his first 100m final against senior athletes he looks up to like club teammate Jerry Jakpa, put up a respectable performance, finishing the race in 6th place clocking 10.63s.

Ashe competing in the men’s 100m final alongside Jakpa, Emmanuel Arowolo and Alaba Akintola

When MoC Track Club went to Ughelli, Delta State, for its Athletics Trials in October 2018, Ashe was injured prior to the final and finished 6th in the 100m final, but MoC’s Head coach Deji Aliu spotted the talent in him and gave him a chance.

In 15 months after linking up with MoC, Ashe has now gone on to post a WL mark of 10.40s in the 100m to rank No.1 in the World U20 category Top List in 2020. Ashe’s progression in less than two years since joining MoC is quite breathtaking, and in hindsight, taking him from Ughelli has proven to be very worthwhile.

Last season, he opened up with a then PB of 11.05s, going on to end the season with yet another PB of 10.72s. At the TAFCAN meet in Lagos this year, Ashe showed a glimpse of what was to come when he ran a fast 10.60s to finish 2nd behind Jakpa. To now clock 10.40s in February in the season’s early stages, shows that it’s clearly a tip of what’s to come later this season.

It is also important to note that this new PB sees him meet the 100m qualification mark of 10.44s for the African Senior Championships in Algeria in June.

Nicknamed Ashe-Bolt by his teammates and more recently “Lil-Coleman”, he has really embraced those tags and well on track to emulate his Athletics idols who have made their mark in the sport. Ashe is a precocious talent who is on the path of greatness; it’s just a matter of time before the world takes notice.

 

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Athletics coverage was a discovery, having to move away from regularly writing about Football. Although it was initially daunting, but now being an authority in it makes the past effort worthwhile. From travelling on the same international flight with Nigerian athletes, to knowing you could easily interview: World Record holder Tobi Amusan, then Ese Brume, I have cut my teeth in this beat earning the trust of Athletics sources. Formerly the Content Manager-Sports at Ringier media Nigeria, Chris is a Senior Sports writer, Photographer & Community manager at Making of Champions.

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