Udeme Okon won the gold medal for South Africa in the men’s 400m final at the U-20 world championships in Lima, Peru in the early hours of Friday, August 30.
The 18-year-old crossed the line in 45.69sec ahead of Jayden Davis (46.08) and Sidi Njie (46.29) to retain the title for South Africa after Lythe Pillay’s triumph in Colombia two years ago.
The feat makes him the second South African athlete to win gold at this year’s edition of the U-20 World Championships after Bayanda Walaza clinched gold in men’s 100m with a time of 10.19 seconds.
Born on September 3, 2005, Okon who is a grade 11 pupil from Florida Park High School in Johannesburg, has a Nigerian father and South African mother.