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| Israel Okon. Credit: Making of champions |
Nigeria’s rising sprint star, Israel Okon, says he fears no opponent after powering to victory in his 100m heat at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Saturday, securing a place in the semi-finals.
The 18-year-old national champion clocked 10.04s in heat six, finishing ahead of Britain’s Zharnel Hughes (10.06s) and Olympic champion Lamont Jacobs of Italy (10.20s).
The result sets up a tough semi-final clash for Okon, where he will face Jamaica’s Oblique Seville, Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, South Africa’s Gift Leotlela, and Canada’s Andre De Grasse.
Speaking trackside after his win, Okon expressed delight at advancing:
“Yeah, it went well. I’m very happy right now. I qualified to the semi-final. I’m the happiest.”
When asked about racing against world-class names, the youngster dismissed any fear of intimidation:
“I’m not scared of anyone. I have two legs, you have two legs too. We’re good to go. I’m ready.”
Okon had earlier revealed his ambition of making the 100m final on his World Championship debut, calling the chance to represent Nigeria a “huge milestone.”
“My goal is to reach the final and be the youngest athlete there. I want to show that anything is possible, regardless of age or background,” he said.
With a personal best of 10.03s, Okon competes for Auburn University in the United States. He first announced himself at the 2023 African Games in Accra, where he helped Nigeria win gold in the men’s 4x100m relay.
His steady rise continued this year when he claimed the 2025 Nigerian 100m title in Lagos, cementing his reputation as one of the brightest young talents in global sprinting.
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