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Salwa Eid NaserBahraini track and field athlete of Nigerian descent
Date of Birth: 23.05.1988
Country:  Bahrain |
Content:
- Salwa Eid Naser: A Trailblazing Bahraini Sprinter
- Junior Successes (2014-2016)
- Senior Successes (2017-2019)
- Controversial Suspension (2020-Present)
- Recognition
Salwa Eid Naser: A Trailblazing Bahraini Sprinter
Early Life and CareerSalwa Eid Naser, born Ebelechukwu Antoinette Agbapuonwu on May 23, 1998, in Onitsha, Anambra, Nigeria, discovered her sprinting prowess at the age of 11. Before she turned 14, her family relocated to Bahrain. In 2014, she converted to the Bahraini faith, adopted the Islamic name Salwa Eid Naser, and began her competitive journey.
Junior Successes (2014-2016)
Naser's early achievements included gold medals in the 200m and 400m at the 2014 Arab Junior Championships. She represented Bahrain at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games, securing a silver medal in the 400m with a time of 52.74 seconds.
In 2015, Naser clinched gold at the Asian Youth Athletics Championships and established national records in the 100m and 200m while in Bulgaria. She made a significant breakthrough at the World Youth Championships, claiming gold with a time of 51.50 seconds. This made her the second Bahraini woman to win a world-level title.
Senior Successes (2017-2019)
At the 2017 World Championships, Naser became the youngest woman to medal in the 400m, finishing with a silver after setting a new personal best of 50.06 seconds. She continued her winning streak at the 2018 Asian Games, where she earned gold in the 400m, 4x100m relay, and mixed 4x400m relay.
Naser's crowning achievement came at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, where she became the youngest and first Asian woman to win the 400m title. Her time of 48.14 seconds was the third-fastest in history.
Controversial Suspension (2020-Present)
In June 2020, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) provisionally suspended Naser for two years due to multiple whereabouts failures within a 12-month period. She challenged the suspension, and in October 2020, an AIU Disciplinary Tribunal exonerated her. However, World Athletics and WADA appealed this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
In June 2021, CAS upheld the appeal, extending Naser's suspension until February 2023. This decision prevented her from competing in the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 World Championships.
Recognition
Naser's achievements earned her recognition as one of the BBC's 100 Women in 2019. Her remarkable talent and resilience have cemented her place as a trailblazing figure in Bahraini and Asian athletics.
