Nigeria’s new sprint sensation, Caleb, dazzles in United States
Nigeria’s track and field sensation, Joshua Caleb, is making waves in the United States, breaking two records in just one week.
The University of Alaska Anchorage sophomore was named the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Men’s Division II Athlete of the Week.
Caleb became the first male athlete from the University of Alaska Anchorage to earn the prestigious M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week honor during the indoor season.
A native of Okrika, Nigeria, Caleb rewrote the record books this past weekend at the Silver & Blue Invitational in Reno, Nevada.
In his season opener, Caleb shattered a 30-year-old African U20 record in the 60 meters and clocked world-leading and collegiate-leading times in the 200 meters.
His 60-meter time of 6.57 seconds eclipsed the previous mark of 6.58 seconds set by Ibrahim Meité of the Ivory Coast on February 13, 1994. No athlete had come within 0.07 seconds of that record indoors until Caleb’s spectacular performance in Reno.
Caleb also clocked 20.86 seconds in the 200 meters, topping the All-College Descending Order List by 0.07 seconds. This performance ranks second on Nigeria’s U20 all-time chart, behind Francisco Obikwelu’s 28-year-old record of 20.57 seconds.
All eyes will be on Caleb this weekend as the University of Alaska Anchorage competes at the UW Preview.
