Global sports company PUMA just took another step towards its goal to become the World’s Fastest Sports brand, by signing Nigerian 100m/200m sprinter Ejowvokoghene Divine Oduduru, as well as Janeek Brown, the talented 21-year Jamaican standout 100m hurdler and National Record Holder.
Divine Oduduru was recently crowned the NCAA 100m and 200m champion in June. The 100m resulted in an eye-popping 9.86 time, which incredibly is also the second-fastest time ever run by a collegiate athlete. The mark also currently ties him for 2nd place on the world-list of the fastest 100m times so far this outdoor season.
As if this were not enough, Oduduru also ran a personal best of 19.73 in the 200m, which followed his 100m final only 45 minutes later. And just like in the 100m, Oduduru’s time made him the second-fastest collegian of all-time, and he’s currently ranked 3rd by time on the world-plist so far at the deuce.
Divine has had quite a few highlights in his early Athletics career for his native Nigeria. However, he perhaps remained, at least till more recently, best known amongst Athletics fans for his entertaining and candid post-race interviews during the 2013 World U18 Championships, back when he was only 16-years old. At the time, the charismatic Nigerian sprinter became a YouTube sensation of sorts, having told a journalist following the semifinals of the Boys’ 200m, that the 200m final would be “a deadly day.”
Now, however, after his latest results at NCAA Champs, rather than being best known for his outgoing personality, the 22-year old has set himself up as one of the names to look out for at the upcoming IAAF World Championships to be held later this year in Doha, Qatar.
“Divine is a great fit for the PUMA brand. He personify our brand mantra ‘Forever Faster’ through their speed and sprinting excellence. Needless to say, we are delighted to welcome these talented athletes to the PUMA family and we look forward to the excitement thatHe brings to his respective events, and to the sport of Track and Field,
in general. We believe they will also make a lasting impact and take their place in the annals of PUMA’s rich sporting history,” said Pascal Rolling, Global Head of Running Sports Marketing.
