The 110mh is one event that isn’t very popular in Nigeria. You would see 100m having Heat 15 and 400m heat 10 but hurdles most likely have just one race or max two.
But this hasn’t stopped them from producing amazing times. Oyeniyi Abejoye who is the reigning National Sports Festival Champion in the event has gone under 14s multiple times in his career.
His first time was at the 2016 National Trials where he finished 3rd behind Antwon Hicks (13.23s) and Osadolor Samuel (13.86s). Oye clocked 13.89s and then won the CAA Grand Prix with 13.91s.
He didn’t run sub 14s again till MoC Grand Prix in 2018 where he won the race in 13.94s. He lowered it to 13.84s at the Continental Cup in Ostarva that same year and capped it with 13.85s at the end of the year to win the National Sports Festival title.
Speaking on his first time running a Sub 14s as well as how it took him two years to get back to that form, Oye said,
“I saw it coming. 2017, I was busy with nysc. I did my 3 weeks in Kano then I later redeployed to Lagos. I lost my dad same year . All together was more than stress on my soul.”
In 2018, Oyeniyi won the Athletic Heat Senior Athlete of the Year Award and he was also an Ambassador for the Athletics in Schools Program (AISP). An initiative by Athletic Heat in partnership with NigAthletics.
Our goal is to inspire the next generation about the essence of combining school and sport. Secondly, to promote Track and Field culture amongst Nigerian students. For our headline athlete, it was a giveback. The students learnt a lot and they were full of thanks after the program.
The Lagos-based sprinter was a Silver medalist at the 2018 African Championship and 2019 African Games.
In 2019, he ran sub 14s, SIX times with a best of 13.67s at the Dwight Phillips Invitational in USA.
With only two meets in 2020, he was only able to run 14.03s and 14.07s
This season, he ran progressive times of 14.23s, 14.20s, 13.87 and 13.79s. He was only defeated once this season by fast rising youngster, Wisdom Musa at the 2nd All Comers held in Akure.
When asked if he can hit the National Record, he said, “13:27s! I actually kept my eye on 13.4s before Hicks shattered it in Sapele. So I rolled off it. Records are meant to be broken but I just wanna better myself everyday by day. So I pray for good health”
About the African Championship and Olympics?
“So annoying I don’t know what’s up. I’m d lazy athlete who only rolls with schedule/calendar but like I said earlier, I keep keen on good health. All hope on God”
We wish you the very best as the season progresses Champ.
