Grace Nwokocha has taken an important step in her return to competitive athletics, opening her comeback with a convincing win in the women's 60 metres at the Washburn Open, nearly three years after serving a doping suspension.
The Nigerian sprinter clocked 7.67 seconds to win her heat comfortably, signaling a positive and confidence-boosting start to her 2026 indoor season. The race marked her first major competitive appearance since regaining eligibility and provided early evidence that she is gradually settling back into top-level competition.
Before her suspension, Nwokocha was widely regarded as one of Nigeria's brightest sprint prospects. She holds personal bests of 7.36 seconds in the 60m and 10.97 seconds in the 100m, underlining her proven quality at elite level. Although her Washburn Open time was well short of those marks, the performance was seen less as a peak effort and more as a clear statement of intent.
Her return brings renewed depth to Nigeria's women's sprinting ranks at a time when the country is rebuilding toward future international championships. With the season still in its early stages, focus will now shift to how quickly she can regain sharpness, build consistency, and reassert herself among Africa's leading sprinters. Nwokocha became eligible to compete again after completing a three-year doping ban imposed by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). The sanction followed a positive test for Ostarine and Dihydroxy-LGD4033, substances banned at all times under Commonwealth Games Federation anti-doping regulations.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
The test arose from the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where she ran the anchor leg for Nigeria's women's 4x100m relay team that initially won gold in an African-record 42.10 seconds. Nigeria was later stripped of the title following the violation
Provisionally suspended in August 2022, Nwokocha accepted the ruling in 2023, with her ban backdated to August 3, 2022, and officially ending on August 2, 2025. The suspension forced her to miss several major championships, including the Paris 2024 Olympics.
