Seun Ogunkoya

Seun Ogunkoya (born 28 December 1977) is a Nigerian sprinter and two-time African Championships gold medalist over 100 metres.

Career peak He was born in Akure and is a cousin of Falilat Ogunkoya. He improved his personal bests from 10.43 seconds in 1995 to 10.15 seconds in April 1996 in Makurdi, at the 10th National Sports Festival, to 9.97 seconds in July 1997 in Formia. He thereby became the youngest sprinter to have broken the 10-second barrier at 19 years, 197 days, a record broken by Yohan Blake (19 years, 196 days). Ogunkoya stated that "it is natural to be aiming at the world record".

He competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics, where he was eliminated in quarter final in the 200 metres, before winning a silver medal in the 100 metres at the 1996 World Junior Championships the next month. In 1997 he reached the quarter-final at the 1997 World Championships.

Ogunkoya won the 100 metres race at the 1996 African Championships and became Nigerian champion in 1996 and 1997. In 1998 he won the Weltklasse Zürich meet with 9.96 seconds, a new personal best, before winning the 1998 African Championships in another personal best, and championship record, of 9.94 seconds.

He also set personal bests of 20.50 seconds in the 200 metres, achieved in July 1997 in Nice, and 6.52 seconds in the 60 metres, achieved in February 1998 in Budapest. He moved to Prague where he recorded a 10.72 second race in June 2003.

Ogunkoya's has since moved his career up by training young sprinters in Ondo State and has become a motivation hero leading the less privileged and young boys and girls for a better sport career. Although the death of his mother took a toll on him, after few months he bounced back to encourage others.