Teenage sprint star has sights set on LA 2028 after rapid rise up British rankings

By Lucy Wilde, Sportsbeat

Teenage track sensation Ebuka Nwokeji is running out of room to store his growing collection of medals but has no plans to put the brakes on his rapid rise up the British rankings.

The Northampton sprint star, 17, burst onto the scene in electric fashion to cement himself as one of Britain’s most exciting young talents by clinching double gold at the 2023 National Athletics Championships.

Commonwealth, national and international stages have become a regular fixture for the youngster whose talent across 100m and 200m continues to dazzle, but Nwokeji believes the best is yet to come.

“The dream is to compete at the Olympics in LA in 2028. It feels generic to say I look up to Usain Bolt but growing up all I saw was him winning. That’s what I’m aspiring to do. I want to win it all,” said Nwokeji, after being selected by Aldi – the official supermarket partner of Team GB and ParalympicsGB and official partners of Team GB Nearest & Dearest Programme, supporting athletes’ families – and SportsAid as part of their Rising Stars programme.

“The Olympics is the pinnacle of the sport so to get there would feel like a massive reward for all the hours of hard work I’ve put in. It would fill me and my family with a lot of pride.”

It was only after being encouraged to try athletics by his mum that a football-mad Nwokeji took to the track, but he could never have predicted that experience would lead to him sporting the British vest.

“I remember I won a sprint race at a primary school sports day. My mum realised I had some talent and got me running at a local club but I didn’t really enjoy it until about two years ago,” he said.

“Something just finally clicked when I realised my talent would only take me so far. I came fourth in a race and that’s when I suddenly understood that if I wanted to be really good, I needed to start taking my training seriously.

“It’s all down to my mum that I didn’t quit. She did athletics when she was younger, and she’s always been the one to encourage me to do extra-curricular rather than have my head stuck in my books.”

In the last two years alone, Nwokeji has recorded the fourth fastest U17 time of all time - 10.54 seconds across 100m - won silver in the Commonwealth Youth Games and double sprint gold at national level.

Living life in the fast lane is in the teenager's nature.

“I’m very happy with my decision to pursue athletics. In my head I had an idea of where I wanted to go but I would have never imagined it would happen this quickly,” he said. “I’m so grateful it has.

“I want to be one of the best sprinters in the world so to become one of the quickest sprinters in my age group within a year of training properly was a ‘wow’ moment.”

Nwokeji has been one of the 1,000 athletes supported each year by SportsAid, who provide crucial financial support as well as offering development opportunities through workshops and visits.

These athletes are Great Britain's brightest sporting prospects. They are nominated to SportsAid by the national governing bodies of more than 60 sports based on set criteria from each.

The typical value of a SportsAid award is £1,000 with money generated through a combination of commercial partnerships, trust and charitable funds, and fundraising activities.

Nwokeji has also reaped the rewards of SportsAid’s partnership with Aldi, who also provide vital media training and nutrition sessions, as well as funding the Parent Pathway Series - a series of tailored online sessions for parents and guardians to ensure SportsAid athletes are getting the best family support they can.

With ambitions to achieve his Olympic dream in just under four years time, Nwokeji knows the importance of clocking up the hours at training and credited SportsAid for helping him to do just that.

“Training is hard and balancing it alongside my A Levels means I don’t have time to get a job, so the SportsAid funding has been really helpful because I don’t have to worry about working.

“I live in Northampton but I train at Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers in London three times a week, so the funding really helps with petrol costs and gives me one less thing to think about.”

Aldi and SportsAid are now in their third year of partnership. In 2024, they are supporting six local athletes, who will be part of SportsAid and Aldi promotional campaign, receive enhanced financial Aid Award, a monthly fruit and vegetable voucher, a private tour of Team GB’s Kitting Out experience and a media training and nutrition sessions. For more information visit https://www.sportsaid.org.uk/partners/our-partners/aldi