Photograph — makingofchamps.com

Who is Divine Oduduru?

Divine Ejowvokoghene Oduduru, Aka “I never experred it” is one of Nigeria’s stellar athletes. The 19-year-old sprinter is Nigeria’s 200m champion, a one-time All African Games silver medallist, a one-time World Junior Championships silver medallist, five-time African Junior champion, and is soon to add an Olympic medal to this list.

Aka “INeverExperredIt? What’s with the nickname and hashtag?

Oh! That?

Well, while my Nigerian/Deltan brother (Deltans representing!) was being interviewed after a victorious race at the World Youth Championships in 2013, he said he was happy because he never expeRRED to win. You don’t believe me? I have proof:

Since then, people, particularly Nigerians, haven’t let him live it down. They even went as far as creating a remix of the interview:

Well, while it’s not okay to mock an individual for their inability to properly articulate, the remix is definitely hilarious. LOL. But why is this young man in the news today?

Did you read my title?

Oh! He almost beat Bolt? Usain Bolt?

Yes, he almost did. He came second after Bolt in the first round of the men’s 200 meters yesterday in Brazil; if that isn’t almost beating the Jamaican sprinter, I don’t know what is.

Wow! Remarkable. But this didn’t really trend on social media. I mean if he was already famous for a hilarious interview, and almost beat Mr. Bolt, why was it not a big deal on social media? I expect it to be.

Sigh It was to an extent, but it didn’t trend as much. I guess it’s because a good number of Nigerians have given up on the Team Nigeria from the start, and aren’t really watching the games. Who can blame them? There’s far too many things in the country to worry about than the Olympics.

Well, he showed them…damn sceptics.

He sure did. But who’ll blame the sceptics though? There were a few other favourites in that race, not just Bolt; Sudan’s Ahmed Ali was in that race, as well as Japan’s Kei Takase.

The few Nigerians who dared to watch the race lost the little hope they had when they saw Divine on the eight lane, but the young man proved that he’s got “African blood,” like he so often says. He attacked the curve really fast and maintained momentum down the home straight to beat athletes with better experience and personal bests than he had.

Lane 8!?!

Is that a question or an exclamation?

It’s both. But tell me, you think this young man can beat bolt in the 200 meters semi-finals tomorrow?

This is a tough one. Bolt is called Lightning Bolt for a reason; he’s an eleven-time World Champion, and the reigning World and Olympic champion in three events – 100m, 200m, and 400m. A title he has held on to for quite a while, and obviously wants to hold on to till he retires. But you know what?

What?

No one “experred” Divine to come second, but he did. Like it or not the young man is giving Bolt a run (literally) for his title. And if he doesn’t beat Bolt tomorrow, it doesn’t really matter. He’s proven himself anyway. He’s the only Nigerian sprinter (male) to have made it through to the semifinals at the Olympics, and he also holds the fastest record time by a Nigerian in recent years.

More importantly, the lad is only 19. Let me spell that out – N.I.N.E.T.E.E.N. He’s got a whole future ahead of him, while Bolt will be retiring soon. With the right guidance and training, Divine is set to become a world-class athlete whether or not Nigerians expeRRIT.

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