Featured Image: Isabella Marley

Not all of Team Liberia is in Mauritius for the African Senior Championships. Liberian sprinter and Tokyo 2020 Olympian, Joseph Fahnbulleh has wrapped up his appearance at the NCAA Championships for the University of Florida Gators and set two new national records. This currently makes him Liberia’s fastest man.

NCAA Championships is the culmination of an exhilarating outdoor season rounding up the top division I collegiate athletes across the United States. Read below for more details on Fahnbulleh’s mind-blowing performance at the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Day one results

The four-day event started on June 8 with all of the men’s semifinals and men’s field events finals. On day one, Joseph ran the 100m race first with a time of 10.11 (-0.6) and qualified for the finals. Later in the evening, he competed in the 200m and sealed his chance to defend his 2021 NCAA title with a time of 20.10 (-0.1).

Fahnbulleh’s final results

Fahnbulleh won both the 100m and the 200m making him a double champion at NCAA’s. He ran the 100m final with a time of 10.00 (+0.6). This is the first time Florida has won the 100m since Jeff Demps in 2010. He makes Florida history as the only person to win individual titles during the same championships.

Fahnbulleh successfully defended his title in the 200m in 19.83 (+0.6). As the anchor of his team’s 4×100, he also assisted them to a second place win. Fahnbulleh’s first place wins helped the University of Florida secure the overall national team title. 

This is a historical night for Fahnbulleh. After watching the 100m race online from Mauritius, Coach Cooper said, “It’s one of the greatest come from behind finals I’ve ever seen in NCAA history!.” His new time in the 100m broke Emmanuel Matadi’s previous 10.01 national record. 

Fahnbulleh also broke his previous national record in the 200m. He will return to Eugene, Oregon next month to represent Liberia at the World Outdoor Championships.