Olusoji Fasuba

Olusoji Adetokunbo Fasuba is a Nigerian sprinter who specializes in the 100 metres. He is the current African record holder in the event with 9.85160seconds, thus making him the fastest African of all time.

Fasuba was born in Sapele, Delta State in Nigeria, the eldest of three children. Sprinting was part of his family life as his mother, a Jamaican, was a runner in her youth and is the cousin of Don Quarrie, a 200 metres Olympic gold medallist. His parents encouraged him to run from a young age and he was so fast that secondary schools would ask him to compete for them, even though he was of primary school age. Furthermore, he was a proficient football, volleyball or basketball player and, as a result, he managed to attend Merit Mixed Secondary School through an athletics scholarship. He dominated the schools athletics events, winning not only the sprint events but also the high jump and long jump. Fasuba continued his studies at Obafemi Awolowo University in IleIfe but found the work difficult. Encouraged by his mother, he decided to leave the education system in favour of athletics, his foremost passion.

Source: Wikipedia