 Obikwelu in 2011 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Francis Obiorah Obikwelu |
| Nationality | Portuguese |
| Born | (1978-11-22)22 November 1978 (age 46) Onitsha,Anambra State, Nigeria |
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) |
| Weight | 80 kg (176 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Track and field |
| Event(s) | 100 metres,200 metres |
Medal record | |
Francis Obiorah Obikwelu,GOIH (born 22 November 1978) is a retired Nigerian-born Portuguesesprinter, who specialized in100 metres and200 metres. He was the2004 Olympic silver medalist in the 100 metres. In the same race, he set theEuropean record in the event at 9.86 seconds, which stood for nearly 17 years. At club level, he was a professional athlete forSporting CP.[1]
Obikwelu was born inOnitsha,Nigeria. At the age of 14, one of Obikwelu's football coaches noticed him and suggested he try outathletics. After two years, he represented Nigeria in the 1994 African Junior Championships and won the silver medal in the400 metres.[2]
Obikwelu moved toLisbon,Portugal as a 16-year-old. After being rejected by bothSport Lisboa e Benfica andSporting Clube de Portugal, he worked as a construction worker in theAlgarve. He decided to learnPortuguese, and his teacher put him in contact with sports clubBelenenses, where he resumed practising in 1995 before signing forSporting Clube de Portugal in 1996.[3] While living in Portugal, Obikwelu was adopted by a lady who he now refers to as his "mother".[4]
In July 2000, Lisbon-based Nigerian sprinterMercy Nku said Obikwelu had decided to compete forPortugal because of neglect by Nigerian sports officials when he was injured while representing Nigeria inSydney, Australia. "He had to go to Canada to undergo an operation on his knee spending his own money." Obikwelu became a Portuguese citizen in October 2001.[4]
Obikwelu's athletics achievements, his life story and his personality made him a popular figure in Portugal, where he is nicknamedChico, the short form of the Portuguese version of his first name.[4]
In 2019, Obikwelu was reported to have worked as a speed trainer, on a temporary basis, for fellow Portuguese athlete, footballerCristiano Ronaldo.[5]
Obikwelu finished second in the 100 m at the2004 Summer Olympics inAthens,Greece, the first medal ever in athletics sprinting events forPortugal. In the qualifiers at the2004 Summer Olympics he ran two times under ten seconds, setting a national record. In the final he recovered from a non-medal position in the second half of the race to win silver, just one-hundredth of a second behindJustin Gatlin and one-hundredth ahead ofMaurice Greene, beating the former European record set byLinford Christie in 1993.[6] Obikwelu finished fifth in the 200m.
He won 100 m and 200 m in 2006 at theEuropean Championships in Athletics and became the first male athlete to win both 100 m and 200 m in the European Championship.
Obikwelu was votedWaterford Crystal European Male Athlete of the Year for 2006 by theEuropean Athletic Association, in an internet poll open to member federations, media and the general public.[7]
Obikwelu announced his retirement from competitive athletics after failing to qualify for the 100 m finals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but retracted his statement, agreeing to honour the last year of his contract with his track club.[8] Obikwelu won the 100 m gold medal at the2009 Lusophony Games.[9]
As of August 2024, the highlighted time for 200 metres is a track record.
| Event | Time (seconds) | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 metres | 5.79 | Liévin,France | 28 February 2004 |
| 60 metres | 6.53 | Paris,France | 5 March 2011 |
| 100 metres | 9.86 | Athens,Greece | 22 August 2004 |
| 200 metres | 19.84 | Seville,Spain | 25 August 1999 |
| 400 metres | 46.29 | Unknown | 3 June 1998 |
Obikwelu was the 1996 world junior champion over 100 m and 200 m.
Grand Cross of theOrder of Prince Henry[11]As of September 2024, Obikwelu holds the following track records for 100 metres and 200 metres.
| Location | Time | Windspeed m/s | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Braga | 9.98 | + 2.0 | 21/06/2000 |
| Castellón de la Plana | 10.09 | + 2.2 | 30/05/2009 |
| Istanbul | 10.02 | + 4.0 | 19/06/2004 |
| Lisbon | 10.05 | + 1.8 | 05/06/2004 |
| Seixal | 10.06 | + 3.0 | 25/07/2009 |
| Zaragoza | 9.84 | + 5.4 | 03/06/2006 |
| Location | Time | Windspeed m/s | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monachil | 20.27 | + 4.1 | 09/07/1997 |
| Seville | 19.84 PB | + 1.7 | 25/08/1999 |
o velocista Francis Obikwelu
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Men's European Athlete of the Year 2006 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Portuguese Sportsman of the Year 2006 | Succeeded by |
| Sporting positions | ||
| Preceded by | Men's 200 m Best Year Performance 1999 | Succeeded by |
| Records | ||
| Preceded by | European Record Holder Men's 100 m 22 August 2004 – 1 August 2021 (shared with  Jimmy Vicaut from 4 July 2015) | Succeeded by |
|
European Athletics Championships champions in men's100 metres | |
|---|---|
|
European Athletics Championships champions in men's200 metres | |
|---|---|
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