'I just came out of nowhere' - Udeme Okon reflects on breakthrough 2024 & targets more success in 2025
When it comes to the current generation of South African teenage track and field stars, they tend to be from a handful of the same athletics development focused schools. For example Prestige College which is currently home to the fastest Under 18 400m female hurdler in the world Tumi Ramokgopa, also produced 400m star Precious Molepo who was included in the Preliminary SA Olympic 4x400m relay team for Tokyo 2021. The same is true of Afrikaanse Meisies Höerskool who are known for producing world class 400m hurdlers, while the TuksSport High School have a long history of proven success and more recently Curro Hazeldean have started to produce world class athletes. But every now and then there is an exception.
Of west African decent and raised on the west of Johannesburg, Udeme Okon stunned the world when he won gold in the 400m at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru last August. His victory though was perhaps most surprising to South Africans who had never heard of the Grade 11 learner from Florida Park High School.
"No one knew me. I just came out of nowhere. I worked hard in 2023 for what I achieved last year. It was all about my hard work. I knew how hard I worked for that moment so I just went out there and dominated the field. It was a good season," he told #TheTopRunner. "From Primary School I could see that I'm an athlete. I really like to run. I actually used to play football. I played for a club called Florida Albion. But I just saw that it wasn't really my passion. I decided to drop soccer and focus on my athletics and take it as a serious thing. Look where I am now."
For his 2024 success the lanky 19-year-old credits his teacher Jordis Martin whom he says worked tirelessly to help him realise his true athletic potential. Before Martin insisted he be taken to compete in a local high school track and field meet against some of the city's more established athletics schools such as Helpmekaar Kollege, Okon had been self-coached training alone in the park.
"It's all about the support I got from my school. My teacher was amazing. She has always been there for me. Mentally I wasn't that strong, but she helped me a lot with my mentality. I remember she took me to a school meet and that’s where I met my coach. I used to train in the park and at school. I met my coach in August 2023."
Meeting coach Lyle Benson was the catalyst that ignited the talent that saw him grab the silver medal over 200m at the SA U20 championships and produce a personal best 45.41 in Potchefstroom last May in the run up towards winning the gold medal that has made him a household name. Picking up where he left off last season, Okon opened his 2025 account with a dominant 300m victory over 200m specialists Sinesipho Dambile and Luxolo Adams at the Simbine Classic Shootout on 8 February. Now in Matric, the man from Florida is aiming for even more success this season.
"People said I could do it against the juniors but not against the seniors. So today was about showing that I can win against seniors too," said Okon after clocking an impressive 31.83 during that 300m run at the Pilditch Athletics Stadium. "I've learnt how to balance school and the athletics because last year was a super, super busy year. It will be a bit more challenging now in Matric, but we'll figure out a way to balance it all."
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