Ella Onojuvwevwo leads Nigeria’s 2026 women’s 400m rankings

Nigerian sprinter Ella Onojuvwevwo is at the top of the country’s 2026 women’s 400m rankings. She achieved a personal best of 49.47 seconds, according to the Village Athletics top-list.

Onojuvwevwo set this record when she won the 400m at the USATF Lone Star Grand Prix in College Station, Texas, on June 6. With this time, she became the fourth Nigerian woman to run under 50 seconds. She is the only athlete on the list who has done this.

At just 21 years old, Onojuvwevwo completed four years at Louisiana State University before turning professional this year. She leads the rankings by 0.78 seconds. Onyinye Onyah follows in second place with 50.25 seconds. Iyanuoluwa Aderemi is third with 50.95 seconds, while Esther Elo Joseph is fourth at 50.97 seconds. These four are the only Nigerians to run under 51 seconds this year.

Chioma Nwachukwu is fifth with a time of 51.24 seconds. She is ahead of Patience Okon George who recorded 51.41 seconds. Esther Okon follows at 51.52 seconds, followed by Blessing Joy Akintoye at 51.66 seconds. Chidimma Margaret Agu comes next with 51.88 seconds, while Princess Uche rounds out the top 10 with 52.10 seconds. The average time of the top 10 is 51.15 seconds.

Onojuvwevwo has been the standout athlete this season. She started her outdoor season with a time of 49.59 seconds at the Battle on the Bayou in Baton Rouge on April 4. She became the first LSU athlete to run under 50 seconds in this event.

In March, she ran 50.28 seconds indoors, which World Athletics recognizes as an African record.

She also won a bronze medal in the 400m at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on August 1, finishing with a time of 51.00 seconds. This was Nigeria’s first medal in the women’s 400m event at the Games since Fatima Yusuf won one in 1994.

“I am really happy to be the bronze medallist after a very long time,” Onojuvwevwo said after the race.

Currently, Onojuvwevwo is ranked 19th in the world for the women’s 400m by World Athletics.