Udeme Okon

Not to be confused with Esteban Ocon.

Udeme Okon

Personal information
Born	(2005-09-03) 3 September 2005 (age 20)
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event	Sprint
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	200m: 20.36 (2025) 400m: 44.99 (2025)
Medal record Men's athletics Representing   South Africa World Championships 2025 Tokyo 4 × 400 m relay World Relays 2025 Guangzhou 4×400 m relay World U20 Championships 2024 Lima 400m 2024 Lima 4×400 m relay

Udeme Okon (born 3 September 2005) is a South African sprinter. He won the gold medal over 400 metres at the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships. ^[1]

Early life

He attends Florida Park High School in Roodepoort, Johannesburg. ^{[2] [3]}

Career

He ran a personal best at the time of 20.54 seconds for the 200 metres in May 2024 at the South African national under-20 championships in Pretoria. That month, he ran a 400 metres personal best at the time of 45.41 seconds at the ACNW Track and Field League held in Potchefstroom. ^[2]

He won the gold medal over 400 metres at the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships, running 45.69 seconds in Lima, Peru. ^{[4] [5]} At the same championships, he also won silver in the 4 × 400 m relay. ^[6]

At the South African Championships on 26 April 2025, he achieved his personal best in the 400m of 44.99 seconds at the McArthur Stadium in Potchefstroom, placing second after countryman Zakithi Nene. He was selected for the South African relay pool at the 2025 World Athletics Relays in China, where he was a gold medalist in the Men's 4 × 400 metres relay, running a split of 44.24 seconds in the final as the South African team set a new national record of 2:57.50. ^{[7] [8] [9]} . On 12 July 2025, he ran his fastest 200m to date at the Moore-Guldensporenmeeting in Kortrijk Belgium of 20.51 seconds, placing third.

He won a bronze medal at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in the men's 4 x 400 metres relay. ^[10]

Personal life

He was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and South African mother. ^{[2] [11]} He is the brother of South African Football player, Ime Okon. ^[12]

References

1. "Udeme Okon". World Athletics. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
2. Pandey, Animesh (30 August 2024). "Who is Udeme Okon? All about the 'Nigerian' sprinter who won the Under-20 World Championships gold in 400m for South Africa". Sports Keeda. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
3. "Udeme Okon wins 400m to give South Africa gold No 2 at U20 world champs". Sowetanlive.co.za. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
4. "Almayew sets steeplechase championship record to win world U20 title in Lima". World Athletics. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
5. "SA's Udeme Okon bags 400m gold at U20 World Champs, Bayanda Walaza eases into 200m final". news24. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
6. "Fayisa flies to 1500m gold for Ethiopia on day five in Lima". World Athletics. 1 September 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
7. "South Africa select a team of 19 for World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25". Athletics.Africa. 1 May 2025. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
8. "World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25: South Africa and Spain upset favourites in men's and women's 4x400m finals". Olympics.com. 11 May 2025. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
9. "USA, Spain and South Africa claim 4x400m titles in Guangzhou". World Athletics. 11 May 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
10. "World Athletics Championships, Tokyo 2025". World Athletics. 13 Sep 2025. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
11. "Nigerians, others react as Okon wins gold for South Africa in 400m at world championships". punchng. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
12. Luthuli, Lusanda (2 September 2024). "Ime Okon Hails Brother Udeme's Stunning Gold At World Champs". SNL. Retrieved 18 November 2024.