Nigeria’s next great track prospect may have announced himself quietly, but the numbers have spoken loudly. Sixteen-year-old hurdler Jared Ejiasian has etched his name into global athletics history after storming to a new world U-18 best time of 7.43 seconds in the indoor 60m hurdles at the French Championships in Val-de-Reuil.
The performance wiped out the long-standing mark of 7.48 seconds, set in 2019 by Sasha Zhoya, one of Europe’s most celebrated young hurdlers. Yet for Ejiasian, the record itself was never the destination, it was simply a checkpoint.
Rather than bask in the moment, the teenager immediately shifted focus to his next event, demonstrating the competitive mindset that increasingly defines elite youth athletics. Speaking shortly after the race, Ejiasian admitted the magnitude of his achievement had not fully sunk in, explaining that his priority was staying sharp across disciplines rather than dwelling on headlines.
“I was already thinking about the next event,” he said. “I didn’t want to lose concentration or let the competition slip away.”
A Record, But Not a Perfect Race
Despite delivering the fastest time ever recorded in his age category, Ejiasian remains his own toughest critic. After reviewing the race footage, he identified technical areas, particularly his start, that he believes can still be refined.
That self-assessment reflects a maturity uncommon at youth level and aligns with modern high-performance coaching philosophy, where progression matters more than single results. His confidence, however, is grounded in preparation. According to the young hurdler, the breakthrough is the product of months of deliberate work with his coaching team.
“This didn’t just happen,” he noted. “It’s the result of the work we’ve been putting in since the beginning of the year.”
The timing also carried symbolic weight. The race marked his final indoor 60m hurdles appearance as a U-18 athlete, giving the record a sense of completion rather than unfinished business.
Winning the Clock, Not the Title
Ejiasian’s time stood as the fastest of the entire meeting, even though the French national title officially went to Orfeo Chandler, the highest-placed French athlete in the final. The distinction did little to diminish the moment, as Ejiasian’s run resonated far beyond national rankings.
Breaking records previously associated with iconic figures in French hurdling history, including world and Olympic medallist Ladji Doucouré, added emotional depth to the achievement. Managing expectations and staying mentally composed, he said, proved to be one of the weekend’s biggest challenges.
“To stay calm was the hardest part,” he admitted. “Knowing whose records I had broken made it special, but also demanded discipline.”
Choosing Nigeria, Shaping the Future
Born in France to Nigerian heritage and raised there from infancy, Ejiasian made a defining career decision last year by committing to represent Nigeria internationally. In an era where many dual-national athletes face competing allegiances, his choice has been welcomed as a boost for Nigeria’s future on the global track stage.
His decision places him among a growing wave of young talents, such as Kelly Ufodiama and Jessica Oji, who have opted to align their international futures with Nigeria, strengthening the country’s talent pipeline at youth and junior levels.
Already, Ejiasian’s résumé suggests long-term potential. He is a French U-18 champion in the 110m hurdles and claimed silver in the long jump last season, underlining his versatility and athletic range.
A Signal, Not a Ceiling
More than a statistic, Ejiasian’s world U-18 record serves as a signal: Nigeria’s next generation of track athletes is emerging with technical sophistication, global exposure, and ambition beyond age-group success.
For Ejiasian himself, the message is even simpler, records are made to be improved upon and the journey, he insists, is only just beginning.
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