Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain won the women’s 400m World Championship gold in one of the fastest times in history in Doha of Thursday October 3, 2019. She was born Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu originally from Anambra state of Nigeria.

In the back straight Naser stormed by Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo to take the World title in a stunning 48.14 seconds. 21-year-old Nigerian born Eid Naser’s winning time was the 3rd fastest time in history and the fastest in 34 years to become. It was also the 5th 400m race in 7 days for the 21-year-old Bahraini athlete after she competed in the mixed 4x400m relay earlier in the championships. Shaunae Miller-Uibo destroyed her personal best to took the silver in 48.37 the 6th fastest time in history while Shericka Jackson of Jamaica took the bronze in a lifetime best of 49.47. East Germany’s Marita Koch set a doubtful women’s 400m World record of 47.60 seconds back in 1985.

Naser began running at age eleven while at school and began to focus on the longer 400 m distance. She was the 2013 Schools Champion in Port Harcourt. In 2014, she switched allegiance to Bahrain, converted to Islam,and changed her name. She was initially coached in Bahrain by Nigerian ex-pat John George Obeya. When asked about her transition to the new country, she expressed she was happy with the move and did not wish to dwell on her relationship with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, saying: “I have nothing to say to the AFN”.