Ndebaeze Wins U-18 Long Jump Gold for South Africa in Abeokuta

Oluchi Ndebaeze, a Nigerian-born athlete representing South Africa, soared to victory in the U-18 long jump event at the ongoing Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) U-18/U-20 Championships in Abeokuta, Nigeria.

Ndebaeze secured the gold medal with a leap of 5.79 metres, outclassing Morocco’s Merzaq Kawtar who claimed silver with a 5.62m effort. Burkina Faso’s Sandrine Bouda completed the podium, earning bronze with a jump of 5.25m.

The win marked a strong comeback for Ndebaeze, who had finished just outside the medals in the U-18 100m the previous day.

Speaking after her triumph, Ndebaeze expressed her delight at bouncing back to win gold:

“I’m extremely happy and grateful. Finishing fourth yesterday wasn’t what I had hoped for, but being able to recover and come out on top today means a lot to me,” she told First ZealMediacastBlog.

Although her winning mark was short of her personal best of 6.2m, Ndebaeze revealed she had two invalid attempts that went beyond six metres, signs that she’s close to peak form.

“I feel like I was consistent with the 5.79m, but I know there’s more in me. I had two fouls that were over six metres, so I’m confident in my potential,” she added.

Looking ahead, Ndebaeze said she plans to return to training immediately with a focus on refining her technique in both the long jump and the 100m sprint.

“There’s definitely room for improvement. I’ll keep working, especially on my technique and how I approach my finals in the sprints. I’m already setting my sights on the World Junior Championships next year in Eugene, USA.”