CAA Athletics: Meet Nigerian-Born athlete, Oluchi Ndubueze, who won Gold for South Africa

Oluchi Ndubueze, a South African athlete with Nigerian roots, has shared her excitement after winning her first gold medal at an international competition.

The event took place at the Confederation of African Athletes (CAA) U18/U20 Championships in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

This was Oluchi’s first time competing internationally. She won gold in the U-18 women’s long jump with a distance of 5.79 meters. She beat Morocco’s Merzarq Kawtar, who jumped 5.62 meters, and Burundi’s Bouda Sandrine, who jumped 5.25 meters.

Oluchi said it was a special moment for her to win a gold medal in Nigeria, her father’s country.

“It’s amazing to win this gold medal. I thank God for giving me this chance,” she said. “I’m proud to compete in my first international event in my father’s homeland. Being both Nigerian and South African is a blessing.”

The young athlete is now aiming to take part in the 2028 Olympics. She was happy with her performance but believes she can do even better.

“I think I did well in this championship, but I know I can improve. I’ll go back to training, look at what I did right and wrong, and work on getting better,” she said.

Oluchi said her biggest motivation is her faith and the desire to inspire young black girls.

“I want to glorify God with my talent and show young black girls that they can achieve anything with God,” she said.

She also thanked her parents for always supporting her.

“I’m lucky to have parents who believe in me. Athletics isn’t just a hobby for me—it’s something I truly love and feel called to do,” she said.

Oluchi dedicated her gold medal to her parents and said she was happy they were there to watch her compete. “I made sacrifices to get here, and this medal is for them,” she said.

She encouraged young athletes not to give up, no matter what.

“To all the kids out there who love athletics, don’t give up. I ran a race earlier and finished fourth. I really wanted a medal, but I kept going. No matter how hard it gets, don’t stop—especially for girls, don’t stop,” she said.

Oluchi finished fourth in the 100 meters final, clocking 12.29 seconds behind Nigeria’s Miriam Jege.