Abdul Jabar Adama has etched his name in Nigerian sporting history, becoming the country’s first-ever swimmer to win a medal at the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in Romania.
The 17-year-old sensation clinched the silver medal in the men’s 50m Butterfly, clocking 23.64 seconds.
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He narrowly missed out on gold, which went to Great Britain’s Dean Fearn with a time of 23.54 seconds.
Adama’s feat was even more remarkable as he shattered two national records in one day.
Having entered the competition with a Nigerian best of 23.81 seconds, he lowered it to 23.61 in the preliminaries and then set a new mark of 23.48 in the semifinals before claiming silver in the final.
Beyond winning Nigeria’s first global medal in swimming, Adama’s breakthrough signals the emergence of a potential Olympic star, with many already tipping him as a strong contender for the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Meanwhile, the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has congratulated Abdul Jabar Adama, who is also from Kwara.
Governor AbdulRazaq in a statement: “We are confident that this is just the start of a career that is destined for the highest honour attainable. We wish Adama, the national swimming sensation, a brighter future in good health and amid increasing national and global recognitions.”