Nigerian sprinter Aderonke Mary Olumudi has won the women’s bronze at the fifth Longview half-marathon & 5K race organised by the Longview chapter of AMBUCS in Texas, USA on Saturday, March 14, 2015.
Olumudi, the only Nigerian who made the top 90 finishers shocked the locals finishing in 1:30:13 seconds to emerge the bronze winner in the East Texas city with gold medalist Shandra Moore in 1:27:59 seconds and silver winner Sarah Deller in 1:28:38.
The 20-year-old ran alongside over 200 athletes from the East Texas city’s Airline Road and finishes at Longview’s Lobo Stadium, the home field of the Longview High School Lobos football team.
The Kogi-born athlete who had to put up some of her belongings for sale to raise funds to compete in the race, revealed her dreams to win a gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics while appreciating the East Texans finding her a place to stay.
“I was so happy, seriously so happy. Because I don’t know who would help me. I am so happy, and thanks to everyone here. I want to be at the next Olympics and optimistic i can win gold,” Olumudi said.
It would be recalled that the potential marathon star twice at the All Nigeria Athletics Championship (National Trials) Calabar came third in time of 39mins: 02 secs in 10,000m in 2012 and finished fifth in 21 km marathon race in time of 1hr: 29mins: 10secs in 2013.
She also made five successive appearances at the Obudu Ranch International Mountain Race in Calabar emerging fourth Nigerian female best finisher on her debut in 2010 and became 1st placed Team Nigeria in 2011, as well as third Nigerian female in (2012 and 2013 respectively, but fifth in 2014.
Also at Maiden edition Commander 2 Brigade 12Km Road Race tagged ‘Gen. TY Buratai Miller), Port Harcourt 2012, Olumudi emerged winner finishing the race in time of 43min: 15sec. Equally finished second twice at the Maiden edition Lagos Beach Marathon 10km in 2013 and 2014 respectively and won the Mare National Festival Half Marathon, Ondo State in 2014.
Moreover, at the 2012 Accra International Marathon, Ghana, she came 3rd place in 21km in finish time of 1hr: 26mins before clinching the Gold at the 2013 Zhuhai International 10km half marathon race in China when she won in time of 36min: 39secs, but finished 10th at 2013 Nanning International half marathon, China 1hr: 24mins: 49sec.
Meanwhile, Olumudi is set to run races in Waco’s Bearathon half-marathon on March 21 and Irving marathon on April 4, before moving to Clemont, Florida for her last race billed for April 25.
By Samuel Ahmadu, Follow him on TWITTER
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