Nkemdilim “Mary” Onyali-Omagbemi (née Onyali, born 3 February 1968) is a Nigerian former sprinter, she was a 5x Olympian 1988 – 2004. She had won the bronze medal in the 4 × 100 m relay at the 1992 Olympic Games and in the 200 m at the 1996 Olympic Games. She also won the 1994 Commonwealth Games 100 metres title.
Career
Onyali-Omagbemi performed especially well in the All-Africa Games, winning a total of 7 individual medals in the short sprints. She won 100 m in 1991, 1995 and 2003 and took a bronze medal in 1987. Gold medals in 200 m were taken in 1987, 1995 and 2003. Furthermore, the Nigerian 4 × 100 m relay team won all races between 1987 and 2003, at the African Games.
Born Mary Onyali, by the time of the 2000 Olympics she was known as Mary Onyali-Omagbemi, having married fellow Nigerian sprinter Victor Omagbemi.
Competing for the Texas Southern Tigers track and field program, she won an NCAA title in the 200 metres.
Her consecutive Olympic appearances from 1988 to 2004 made her the first Nigerian to compete at five Olympics. This feat was equalled by table tennis players Bose Kaffo and Segun Toriola four years later in Beijing, China. Mary Onyali-Omagbemi currently serves as the Special Adviser (Technical) to the Director General of the National Sports Commission in Nigeria, and is a part of the consultation committee for the proposed Sports University of Nigeria, Idumuje-Ugboko.
On the 21st of September 2020, she was made one of the ambassadors of the re-branded National Principal's Cup; a grassroots championship tournament that was popular across Nigeria that discovered many talents, some who were former Super Eagles stars.
Achievements Representing 1986World Junior ChampionshipsAthens, Greece1st (sf)Disqualified in the final.100m11.42 w (wind: +2.5 m/s)2nd200m23.30 (wind: +0.6 m/s)3rd4 × 100 m relay44.131987World Indoor ChampionshipsIndianapolis, United States5th200 m23.56All-Africa GamesNairobi, Kenya 3rd100 m11.47 1st200 m22.66World ChampionshipsRome, Italy6th200 m22.521988Olympic GamesSeoul, South Koreasemi-finals200 m22.43heats4 × 400 m3:30.211989World CupBarcelona, Spain 2nd100 m11.23 2nd200 m22.82—4 × 100 mDNF1991World ChampionshipsTokyo, Japan7th100 m11.394th4 × 100 m42.775th4 × 400 m3:24.45All-Africa GamesCairo, Egypt 1st100 m11.121992Olympic GamesBarcelona, Spain7th100 m11.15semi-finals200 m22.60 3rd4 × 100 m relay42.811993World ChampionshipsStuttgart, Germany5th100 m11.055th200 m22.321994Commonwealth GamesVictoria, Canada 1st100 m11.06 2nd200 m22.35 1st4 × 100 m relay42.99 World CupLondon, United Kingdom 3rd100 m11.524th200 m22.82 1st4 × 100 m42.921995World ChampionshipsGothenburg, Sweden7th100 m11.196th200 m22.71All-Africa GamesHarare, Zimbabwe 1st100 m11.18 1st200 m22.751996Olympic GamesAtlanta, United States7th100 m11.13 3rd200 m22.385th4 × 100 m42.561998World CupJohannesburg, South Africa 3rd100 m11.054th4 × 100 m42.912000Olympic GamesSydney, Australiaquarter-finals100 m11.40quarter-finals200 m23.037th4 × 100 m44.052003World ChampionshipsParis, Francesemi-finals100 m11.35semi-finals200 m22.97All-Africa GamesAbuja, Nigeria 1st100 m11.12 1st200 m23.092004Olympic GamesAthens, Greecequarter-finals200 m23.75
Personal bests 100 metres – 10.97 (1993) 200 metres – 22.07 (1996) 400 metres – 54.21 (2000)
See also List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences List of athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games
References
External links