Nigerian sprinter Olaolu Olatunde is set to open his 2026 indoor season at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic in the United States on Friday, which will be his first competitive appearance for the University of Iowa after his move from Harding University, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The 23-year-old, a Confederation of African Athletics Region II 100m champion, last competed in August 2025 when he won his first senior international gold for Nigeria at the regional championships in Accra, winning the men’s 100m final in 10.60s.
Earlier that summer, he had produced a personal best of 10.13s at the SWAC 8 pre-national championships in Abeokuta, a performance that ranked him among the fastest 2025 Nigerian and African sprinters of the season and helped underline his rapid progression.
Olatunde’s last competition in the United States was the NCAA Division II outdoor track and field championships in May 2025, where he finished second, capping a season in which he was named Harding University’s most valuable athlete.
He shattered the school’s long-standing sprint records after running 10.14s in the 100m and 20.65s in the 200m in May, before completing his transfer to Iowa ahead of the new campaign.
At the New Mexico Collegiate Classic, Olatunde is entered for the 60m and 200m and will be joined by several other Nigerian athletes competing across sprint and middle-distance events.
The entries include Ella Onojuvwevwo in the 200m, Success Umukoro in the 60m, national champion Chioma Nwachukwu in the 200m and 400m, Faith Osamuyi in the 60m and 60m hurdles, Olayinka Olajide in the 200m, Samuel Ogazi in the 400m, Joshua Caleb in the 60 and 200m, and David Akhalu in the 200 and 400m.
Beyond New Mexico, Nigerian athletes are also in action across Europe this week, with Adaobi Tabugbo set for the 60m hurdles at the IFAM indoor meeting in Louvain-La-Neuve, Fola Olaoye and Enoch Adegoke both entered for the 60m at the Sparkassen indoor meeting in Dortmund, and Chukwuebuka Enekwechi returning to the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold circuit in Madrid.
Enekwechi, who recently finished third at the Millrose Games in New York, will contest the shot put in Madrid against a strong field that includes world-leading American Jordan Geist and reigning meeting record holder Rajindra Campbell.
The Nigerian enters the event ranked among the world’s top performers this season and is currently fourth in the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold standings, as he continues his push towards qualification for the world indoor championships in March.
