Liberia: Fahnbulleh Makes History at 2022 NCAA Championship
Joseph Fahnbulleh, Liberian sprinter at the University of Florida.
— Sets Two New National Records
Last week was a remarkable week for Liberian athletics. After Ebony Morrison clinched Silver at the CAA African Senior Championship 2022 in Mauritius, Joseph Fahnbulleh took over the news feeds on social media a day later after he made history at the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men’s Outdoor Championships for the University of Florida Gators.
The NCAA Division I Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championship is an annual collegiate outdoor track and field competition for men organized by the NCAA. Athletes’ individual performances earn points for their respective institutions and the team with the most points receives the NCAA team title in track and field. A separate NCAA Division I women's competition is also held.
Fahnbulleh led Florida’s scores as his university men’s track and field won the 2022 outdoor national championship. The Gators reached 54 total points, with Texas next with 38 points. Fahnbulleh scored 20 individual points with his 100 and 200-meter titles, according to NCAA’s stats.
Fahnbulleh, 20, won both 100m and 200m, making him a double champion at the 2022 NCAA championship. This was the first time Florida has won the 100m since Jeff Demps in 2010. Fahnbulleh is also the first person in Florida’s history as the only person to win individual titles during the same championships, according to the University’s history.
He won the 100m by clocking 10.00 (+0.6), breaking Emmanuel Matadi’s previous 100m national record (10.01). Matadi held the 100m national record set in July 2019 at the Star Athletics Sprint Series.
Fahnbulleh, Liberia’s first-ever Olympic finalist, also defended his 200m title in 19.83 (+0.6) to set a new national record. He won the 2021 NCAA 200m title after he ran the final with a time of 19.91.
Meanwhile, Team Liberia is returning home with just a silver medal from the 2022 CAA African Senior Championship held in Mauritius. The five-day event came to an end yesterday with Liberia being one of four countries on the medal table with just silver.