One of the fastest collegiate runners won’t compete in Budapest due to an injury.
200m NCAA champion Udodi Onwuzurike announced that he’s suffered a hamstring injury, and that he will miss the 2023 World Championships in Budapest that’s set to kick off next weekend.
“After recently battling a hamstring issue, my medical team has advised that I sit out this year’s World Championship,” he said in a message on social media. “I’ve given my all, but unfortunately, my body needs the rest to heal properly and avoid further damage. This decision hasn’t been an easy one. I’ve poured my heart into every moment leading up to this event, and it’s incredibly disappointing to see my season end like this.”
Onwuzurike, who represents Nigeria as well as Stanford University, had an incredible season on the track. He ran one of the fastest times in collegiate history in the men’s 200m at the NCAATF Outdoor Championships earlier this summer, running 19.84 in the event.
Last summer, he competed at the Commonwealth Games as a member of Nigeria’s bronze medal winning 4x100m relay team. He won the Pac-12 Men’s Track Athlete Of The Year honors this season.