NIGERIA: Adama Abduljabar Secures Nigeria’s First-Ever World Junior Swimming Medal

By Ameenat Hamzat, Lagos, Nigeria

Nigeria has recorded a remarkable win in international swimming after 17-year-old Adama Abduljabar won the country’s first medal at the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships held in Romania.

Abduljabar claimed silver in the men’s 50-metre butterfly on Saturday, clocking 23.64 seconds. He finished just behind Great Britain’s Dean Fearn, who won gold with 23.54 seconds. The feat not only delivered Nigeria’s maiden medal at the event but also saw Abduljabar break two national records in the process.

According to a statement issued by the National Sports Commission (NSC) on Sunday, the teenager first set a Nigerian record of 23.61 seconds during the preliminaries before improving the mark to 23.48 seconds in the semifinals.

The NSC added that the semifinal time placed him within two-tenths of a second of the qualifying standard for the senior World Championships and close to the World Aquatics “A” mark of 23.36 seconds.

NSC Director-General Bukola Olopade described the achievement as “a proud moment for Nigeria and Africa,” noting that Abduljabar’s performance demonstrates the potential of Nigerian athletes on the global stage.

“This is only the beginning of many more international triumphs for him and for Nigerian swimming,” Olopade said.

Abduljabar, who trains at Mount Kelly Swimming Academy in the United Kingdom, was discovered at the National Youth Games, where he earned a scholarship to further his training abroad. Earlier in March, he dominated the Africa Junior Swimming Championships in Cairo, winning three gold medals, one bronze, and setting multiple records.

With the 50-metre butterfly set to debut at the Olympics, sports analysts believe Abduljabar’s progress positions him as a potential medal contender for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, where Nigeria has yet to reach the swimming podium.