Christy Opara-Thompson
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nationality | Nigerian (until 1998); American (from 1998) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1971年12月24日) 24 December 1971 (age54) Imo State, Nigeria | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Brigham Young University, Citrus College, California State University, Los Angeles | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | |||||||||||||||||||||
Events | 100 m, Long jump, ×ばつ100 m relay | |||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Christy Opara-Thompson Listen i (born 24 December 1971) is a Nigerian-American former track and field athlete who specialized in sprints and the long jump. She first represented Nigeria internationally before transferring allegiance to the United States in 1998.[1] [2]
A bronze medallist at the 1992 Summer Olympics and a multi-medallist at the Commonwealth Games, Opara-Thompson was one of Africa’s leading female sprinters during the 1990s.[2]
Early life and collegiate career
[edit ]Born in Imo State, Nigeria, Opara-Thompson showed early promise in athletics. She was recruited to the United States on an athletic scholarship to compete for Brigham Young University (BYU) in Utah.
In 1989, she stunned the field at the NCAA Championships by winning the long jump with a personal best of 6.46 m (21 ft 21⁄2 in). Despite her success, she transferred from BYU due to the cold climate, later attending Citrus College and graduating from California State University, Los Angeles with a degree in exercise physiology.[3]
International career
[edit ]Olympic Games
[edit ]Opara-Thompson represented Nigeria at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, where she won the bronze medal in the 4 ×ばつ 100 metres relay alongside Beatrice Utondu, Faith Idehen, and Mary Onyali. Their finish in 42.81 seconds marked Nigeria’s first-ever Olympic medal in a women’s relay event.[citation needed ]
Commonwealth Games
[edit ]At the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada, she won:
- Silver in the 100 metres (11.22 s)
- Bronze in the long jump (6.72 m)
- Gold in the 4 ×ばつ 100 metres relay (42.99 s, Games Record at the time)
African and world events
[edit ]Opara-Thompson also medalled at:
- The 1993 African Championships: gold in the long jump and bronze in the 100 m
- The 1995 All-Africa Games: silver in the 100 m and relay
- The 1991 World Championships: part of Nigeria’s 4th-place relay team
She competed at the World University Games, winning multiple medals in sprint and jump events, and was a finalist in several global meets throughout her career.
National record and transfer to U.S.
[edit ]In 1997 and 1998, Opara-Thompson became the fastest woman in the world over 60 metres indoors with a national record time of 7.02 s. On 18 October 1998, she officially changed her sporting nationality to represent the United States internationally.[4]
Personal bests
[edit ]
- 60 m (indoor) – 7.02 s (1997) – Nigerian national record
- 100 m – 11.07 s (1997)
- Long jump – 6.72 m (1994)
- 4 ×ばつ 100 m relay – 42.39 s (1992)
Post-athletic career
[edit ]After retiring, Opara-Thompson returned to Nigeria and established the Soho24 Foundation focused on youth development, fitness, and elite sports performance. In 2020, she opened the Soho24 Foundation Sports Arena in Abuja—a multi-sport complex with facilities for track and field, indoor basketball, football, and strength training.[5]
She is currently based between Nigeria and the U.S., working as a certified performance coach and advocate for female athletes over 40, promoting fitness, longevity, and youth development through sport.
International competitions
[edit ]| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representing Nigeria | |||||
| 1992 | 1992 Summer Olympics | Barcelona, Spain | 3rd | ×ばつ100 m relay | 42.81 s |
| 1994 | Commonwealth Games | Victoria, Canada | 2nd | 100 m | 11.22 s |
| 3rd | Long jump | 6.72 m | |||
| 1st | ×ばつ100 m relay | 42.99 s | |||
References
[edit ]- ↑ "Olympics Official Site".
- 1 2 "Christy OPARA-THOMPSON | Profile | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
- ↑ Walker, Joseph (3 June 1989). "BYU Long Shot Wins Long Jump". Deseret News. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
- ↑ "Athlete Profile: Christy Opara-Thompson". World Athletics. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
- ↑ "Nigerian Olympian Opens Sports Arena in Abuja". Daily Trust . 10 October 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
External links
[edit ]- USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners
- 1971 births
- Living people
- Igbo sportspeople
- Nigerian women sprinters
- Nigerian women long jumpers
- Olympic athletes for Nigeria
- Olympic bronze medalists for Nigeria
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1992 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1996 Summer Olympics
- Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Nigeria
- Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Nigeria
- Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Nigeria
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1994 Commonwealth Games
- World Athletics Championships athletes for Nigeria
- Olympic bronze medalists in athletics
- African Games medalists in athletics (track and field)
- African Games gold medalists for Nigeria
- African Games silver medalists for Nigeria
- African Games bronze medalists for Nigeria
- Universiade medalists in athletics (track and field)
- FISU World University Games silver medalists for Nigeria
- NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners
- BYU Cougars women's track and field athletes
- Citrus College alumni
- Cal State Los Angeles Golden Eagles women's track and field athletes
- American women sprinters
- American women long jumpers
- 20th-century Nigerian sportswomen
- 20th-century American sportswomen
- Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics
- Nigerian emigrants to the United States
- Medallists at the 1994 Commonwealth Games
- Medalists at the 1992 Summer Olympics