The Digest:
French-Nigerian teenager Jared Ejiasian has shattered the U18 world record in the men's 60-meter hurdles, clocking 7.43 seconds at the French U18 & U20 championships in Val-de-Reuil on Saturday. The 16-year-old's time beats the seven-year-old record set by France's Sasha Zhoya in 2019 by five hundredths of a second. Ejiasian, who represents AC Nord Val d'Oise, broke free after the second hurdle to claim his second win of the season. He had previously set an African U18 record of 7.57 seconds at the Tempo Run League indoor meet in January. Born in Nigeria and moved to France at three months, Ejiasian currently flies Nigeria's flag, but reports indicate he has begun naturalisation to become a French citizen. In 2024, he broke four French school records in the U14 category, including three in the 200m hurdles.
Key Points:
- Ejiasian's record-breaking performance announces a new athletics star to the world.
- His Nigerian heritage and potential French switch raise questions of international allegiance.
- The teenager gains global recognition, while Nigeria faces possible talent loss.
- This signals the emergence of a future world-beater in sprint hurdles.
- The timing, with naturalisation underway, pressures Nigeria to act.
Sources: Making of Champions, Pulse Sports
