1. Early Life and Background
Olusoji Fasuba was born on July 9, 1984, in Sapele, Delta State, Nigeria, as the eldest of three children to Olumide and Evelyn Fasuba. His family had a strong connection to sprinting, as his mother, a Jamaican, was a runner in her youth and is a cousin of Don Quarrie, an Olympic gold medallist in the 200 metres.
1.1. Childhood and Education
His parents actively encouraged him to pursue running from a young age, recognizing his natural talent. Fasuba was so exceptionally fast that even during his primary school years, secondary schools would invite him to compete for their teams. Beyond athletics, he was also proficient in various other sports, including association football, volleyball, and basketball. His athletic prowess earned him a scholarship to attend Merit Mixed Secondary School, where he dominated the school's athletics events. He consistently won not only the sprint events but also the high jump and long jump, showcasing his versatility and athletic potential.
Fasuba later continued his studies at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. However, he found the academic demands challenging. Following encouragement from his mother, he made the significant decision to leave his formal education to fully dedicate himself to athletics, which he considered his primary passion.
2. Athletics Career
Olusoji Fasuba's professional athletics career was marked by consistent performance at the highest level, culminating in multiple continental titles, an Olympic medal, and a historic world indoor championship.
2.1. Early Career and Olympic Debut (2003-2004)
Fasuba experienced his breakthrough year in 2003, starting with strong performances at the Nigerian national trials. He was subsequently selected to represent Nigeria in the 4x100 metres relay at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics, where the Nigerian team finished fourth. He concluded the year with a significant victory, winning the 100m event at the inaugural Afro-Asian Games in Hyderabad, India.
In 2004, Fasuba continued his ascent by winning the 100 metres at the 2004 African Championships in Athletics held in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo. Just a few months later, he earned his first major international medal, an Olympic bronze, as part of the Nigerian 4x100 metres relay team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. In the 60 metres event at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Budapest, Hungary, he competed in the heats but did not advance.
2.2. African Record and Commonwealth Games (2005-2006)
In 2005, Fasuba competed in both the 100m and 200m events at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki, Finland, but did not reach the finals in either event. The following year, 2006, proved to be particularly significant for his career. He finished fifth in the 60 metres at the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Moscow, Russia, achieving the same time as the fourth-place finisher. Later that year, at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, he secured a silver medal in the 100 metres, finishing just 0.08 seconds behind the Jamaican sprint star Asafa Powell.
A monumental moment in Fasuba's career occurred on May 12, 2006, at the Doha Grand Prix in Qatar. In ideal conditions with a tailwind of 3.8 mph (1.7 m/s), he set a new African record in the 100m, clocking an astonishing 9.85 seconds. This performance broke the long-standing record of 9.86 seconds held by Frankie Fredericks since 1996, marking a remarkable achievement after nearly a decade. Despite being notably shorter than many of his sprinting peers, Fasuba was recognized for possessing one of the fastest foot-speeds in athletics. In the same Doha race, American sprinter Justin Gatlin initially marked a world-tying record of 9.76 seconds, which was later corrected to 9.77 seconds and subsequently annulled due to doping allegations. Despite battling injury problems throughout the 2006 season, Fasuba successfully defended his regional title at the 2006 African Championships in Athletics. For his outstanding achievements in 2006, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria honored him as the Nigerian Male Athlete of the Year.
2.3. World Indoor Title and All-Africa Games (2007-2008)
In 2007, Olusoji Fasuba continued his success on the continental stage, winning two gold medals at the 2007 All-Africa Games in Algiers, Algeria, in both the 100 metres and the 4x100 metres relay. However, the event was not without controversy; a misunderstanding regarding a planned celebration with the Nigerian flag, which Fasuba had to abandon to undergo a drug test, led to calls for his ban from the Nigerian team. Despite this incident, he maintained his focus. Later that year, on August 26, 2007, he finished fourth in the 100 metres final at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics in Osaka, Japan, with a time of 10.07 seconds, which marked the highest achievement for a Nigerian in the 100m at the World Championships. He was later disqualified from the 100m final at the 2007 IAAF World Athletics Final in Stuttgart, Germany.
A career pinnacle for Fasuba came on March 8, 2008, when he won the 60 metres sprint at the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain, with a time of 6.51 seconds. This victory was historic, as he became the first African athlete to achieve a gold medal in the 60m at the World Indoor Championships. In May 2008, he clinched his third consecutive 100m title at the African Championships in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, becoming the first athlete to achieve this feat. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, he competed in the 100 metres, placing second in his initial heat with a time of 10.29 seconds, behind Tyson Gay. He improved his time to 10.21 seconds in the second round but ultimately finished fourth in his heat, behind Richard Thompson, Gay, and Martial Mbandjock, and thus did not qualify for the semi-finals.
2.4. Later Career (2009-2010)
As his career progressed into its later stages, Fasuba's competitive performances saw some changes. At the 2009 World Championships in Athletics, he participated in the 100 metres but was eliminated in the second round, posting a time of 10.25 seconds. A poor start to the 2010 season led to him not being selected to defend his 60 metres title at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships. According to Sunday Bada of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Fasuba was not in suitable form to compete at that level. This period marked the winding down of his illustrious professional sprinting career.
3. Personal Life
Olusoji Fasuba is the first child of Olumide and Evelyn Fasuba, and he has a younger brother named Kayode and a younger sister named Yinka. His personal life saw a significant development in 2003 when he met Ngozi Nwokocha, a fellow Nigerian athlete who competed in the 400 metres, at his first national athletics training camp. The couple later married and have a daughter together.
4. Post-Athletics Career
After concluding his professional athletics career, Olusoji Fasuba embarked on a new path, seeking a more stable life for his family. In April 2011, he enlisted in the Royal Navy through the Royal Navy Careers Office in Oxford, England. He began his military career as a Logistician (Supply Chain) Rating. Fasuba has expressed his desire to continue participating in athletics as a hobby and to compete on behalf of the Royal Navy. He has since become a fully qualified Logistician, marking a successful transition into his post-athletics career.
5. Achievements and Records
Olusoji Fasuba's career was marked by significant achievements, establishing him as one of Africa's premier sprinters and a notable figure on the world stage.
5.1. African Record and World Standing
For an extended period, Olusoji Fasuba held the distinction of being the African record holder in the 100 metres, with his time of 9.85 seconds. This record stood until July 2021 when Akani Simbine of South Africa surpassed it with a time of 9.84 seconds, followed by Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya lowering it further to 9.77 seconds later that year. Fasuba's 9.85-second performance positioned him as the joint-twentieth fastest 100m runner in history at the time it was set. Furthermore, among athletes outside the NACAC area (which includes powerhouses like the USA and Jamaica), he was the fifth-fastest ever, behind Omanyala, Marcell Jacobs, Su Bingtian, and Simbine. In the indoor 60 metres event, Fasuba also holds the distinction of having the fourth fastest time by an African runner, with 6.49 seconds. Only Leonard Myles-Mills, his fellow Nigerian Deji Aliu, and Morne Nagel have achieved faster times.
5.2. Personal Bests
Olusoji Fasuba's personal best times across various sprint events are listed below:
| Event | Time (seconds) | Location | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 metres | 5.76 s | Liévin, France | February 28, 2004 | Indoor |
| 60 metres | 6.49 s | Stuttgart, Germany | February 3, 2007 | Indoor |
| 100 metres | 9.85 s (+1.7) | Doha, Qatar | May 12, 2006 | Former African record |
| 200 metres | 20.52 s (0.0) | Brussels, Belgium | September 3, 2004 | Outdoor |
5.3. Major Competition Results
The following table summarizes Olusoji Fasuba's performances and placings in significant international and continental athletics competitions throughout his career:
| Year | Competition | Location | Event | Result | Time (seconds) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | World Championships | Paris, France | 4x100mR | 4th | 38.89 (1st leg) | |
| Afro-Asian Games | Hyderabad, India | 100m | Gold | 10.15 (-0.6) | ||
| 2004 | World Indoor Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 60m | Heat 1, 5th | 6.78 | |
| African Championships | Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo | 100m | Gold | 10.21 (0.0) | ||
| 4x100mR | Gold | 38.91 (1st leg) | ||||
| Olympic Games | Athens, Greece | 4x100mR | Bronze | 38.23 (1st leg) | ||
| 2005 | World Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 100m | Semifinal 1, 5th | 10.18 (+0.5) | |
| 200m | Second round 3, 8th | 21.92 (-3.7) | ||||
| 4x100mR | Heat 2, 6th | 39.29 (1st leg) | ||||
| 2006 | World Indoor Championships | Moscow, Russia | 60m | 5th | 6.58 | Tied with 4th place |
| Commonwealth Games | Melbourne, Australia | 100m | Silver | 10.11 (+0.9) | ||
| African Championships | Bambous, Mauritius | 100m | Gold | 10.37 (-2.9) | ||
| 4x100mR | Gold | 39.63 (4th leg) | ||||
| 2007 | All-Africa Games | Algiers, Algeria | 100m | Gold | 10.18 (+0.6) | |
| 4x100mR | Gold | 38.91 (4th leg) | ||||
| World Championships | Osaka, Japan | 100m | 4th | 10.07 (-0.5) | ||
| 4x100mR | Final DNF | DNF (4th leg) | ||||
| World Athletics Final | Stuttgart, Germany | 100m | Final DQ | DQ | ||
| 2008 | World Indoor Championships | Valencia, Spain | 60m | Gold | 6.51 | Season's world best |
| African Championships | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | 100m | Gold | 10.10A (+1.2) | ||
| Olympic Games | Beijing, China | 100m | Second round 2, 4th | 10.21 (0.0) | ||
| 2009 | World Championships | Berlin, Germany | 100m | Second round 3, 6th | 10.25 (-0.4) |