Barbara Nwaba
{{Short description|American track and field athlete}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Barbara Nwaba
| image = Barbara Nwaba 2016.jpg
| image_size = 140px
| caption = Barbara Nwaba at the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships
| fullname = Barbara Udoezi Nwaba
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1989|1|18}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, United States
| residence =
| education = University of California, Santa Barbara {{small|(B.A. 2012)}}
| occupation = Track and field athlete
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| height = 5 ft 9 in
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| collegeteam = UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
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| team = Santa Barbara Track Club
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| coach = Josh Priester
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| worlds = 2016, 2015
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| olympics = 2016
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{{ MedalCount
| World Indoor Championships | 0 | 0 | 1
| Total | 0 | 0 | 1
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{{MedalBronze|2016 Portland|Pentathlon}}
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| updated = 02:41, 30 June 2015 (UTC)
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Barbara Udoezi Nwaba (born January 18, 1989) is an American track and field athlete who represents the Santa Barbara Track Club. Nwaba is known for the pentathlon and heptathlon. She is the 2015 USA Outdoor Track and Field champion in the heptathlon.
Early life and education
Nwaba was born January 18, 1989, in Los Angeles, California, to Nigerian parents Theodore & Blessing Nwaba. She is the oldest of 6 children. A 2007 graduate of University High School, Nwaba was the CIF Los Angeles City Section champion in the 300 meters hurdles in 2007{{cite web|url=http://lasentinel.net/student-athlete-of-the-week-barbara-nwaba.html|title = Student Athlete of the Week: Barbara Nwaba|date = 4 September 2010}} and a 4-time runner up and representative in the high jump to the CIF California State Meet, but was eliminated in the preliminary rounds.{{cite web|url=http://lynbrooksports.prepcaltrack.com/ATHLETICS/TRACK/2007/stat_res.htm|title=State Finals - 2007}}
Nwaba attended the University of California, Santa Barbara on academic grounds, intending to study optometry,{{cite web|url=http://ucsb.prestosports.com/sports/w-track/mtt/nwaba_barbara00.html|title = UC Santa Barbara}} ultimately graduating in 2012 with a degree in sociology. After redshirting a season, she set the school records in the 100 meters hurdles, 400 meters hurdles (since surpassed), and was part of the record-setting 4x400 meters relay team (also since surpassed). In the process, she also ranked in the top ten in most of the heptathlon events.[http://static.psbin.com/a/y/2zxp0azlj1pp8m/June_2015_Version_M-W_Record_Book_Updated.pdf Women's records] psbin.com {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002090350/http://static.psbin.com/a/y/2zxp0azlj1pp8m/June_2015_Version_M-W_Record_Book_Updated.pdf |date=2018-10-02 }} She finished her career as the champion of the Big West Conference heptathlon in 2012 en route to being named an All-American.{{Cite news |last=Burns |first=Ryan |date=August 5, 2016 |title=Former Gaucho Track Star Aims for the Podium at Debut Olympics |url=http://dailynexus.com/2016-08-05/former-gaucho-track-star-aims-for-the-podium-at-debut-olympics/ |newspaper=Daily Nexus |location=Santa Barbara, California |access-date=August 5, 2016}}
Her brother, David Nwaba is a professional basketball player.
Career
Continuing with the multi-event-oriented Santa Barbara Track Club, Nwaba made steady improvements with coach Josh Priester, a former UCSB track and field coach.{{cite web |url=http://presidiosports.com/2014/08/priester-taking-new-santa-barbara-track-club-to-elite-territory/ |title=Priester taking new Santa Barbara Track Club to elite territory |last=Dvorak |first=John |date=August 2, 2014 |website=presidiosports.com |access-date=April 12, 2016}} She was fifth at the 2012 Olympic Trials scoring 5986 points.[http://www.legacy.usatf.org/events/2012/OlympicTrials-TF/results/Summary-40.htm 2012 United States Olympic Trials (track and field) Heptathlon results summary]{{Cite web |url=http://www.legacy.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2012/U-S--Olympic-Team-Trials-TF/Results.aspx |title=Archived copy |access-date=2019-12-21 |archive-date=2019-12-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219082058/http://www.legacy.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2012/U-S--Olympic-Team-Trials-TF/Results.aspx |url-status=dead }}
Nwaba was an assistant coach at Santa Barbara High School in the 2012–13 school year.{{cite web |url=http://presidiosports.com/2014/04/trk-feshbach-a-top-10-finisher-in-arcadia-heptathlon/|title=TRK: Feshbach a top-10 finisher in Arcadia heptathlon|date=12 April 2014}}
At the 2014 Outdoor Championships she finished second to Sharon Day-Monroe in the heptathlon by 163 points, scoring 6307 points.[http://www.legacy.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2014/USATF-Outdoor-Championships/Complete-Results.aspx 2014 Outdoor Championships]
Barbara Nwaba is the 2015 American Champion, edging Sharon Day-Monroe by 42 points, scoring exactly 6500 points. She finished second to Day-Monroe at the 2015 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in the pentathlon. Nwaba's total makes her the sixth-highest-scoring heptathlon performer in United States history.{{cite web|url=http://www.iaaf.org/records/toplists/combined-events/heptathlon/outdoor/women/senior|title=Heptathlon - women - senior - outdoor}}
At the 2015 World Championships in Athletics, Nwaba misstepped the very first hurdle and then fell over the second.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggVj8OBLxP0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002090337/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggVj8OBLxP0 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 2, 2018 |date=August 2015|title=YouTube video}} {{cite web |url=http://santabarbaratc.com/nwaba-rallies-in-world-championships-to-set-two-personal-bests/ |title=santa barbara track club |access-date=2016-01-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130212448/http://santabarbaratc.com/nwaba-rallies-in-world-championships-to-set-two-personal-bests/ |archive-date=2016-01-30 |url-status=dead }}[https://twitter.com/trackbarbie7/status/649622918826229761 Barbara Nwaba personal account of 2015 World Championship][https://www.instagram.com/p/8TUKh5lzF6/ Barbara Nwaba personal account of 2015 World Championships photo] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425172554/https://www.instagram.com/p/8TUKh5lzF6/ |date=April 25, 2016 }}[http://reggaemusicreviews.com/review/music/title/barbara-nwaba-of-team-usa-speaks-iaaf-world-championships-beijing-2015-heptathlon-day-1/ News of 2015 World Championships] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129002023/http://reggaemusicreviews.com/review/music/title/barbara-nwaba-of-team-usa-speaks-iaaf-world-championships-beijing-2015-heptathlon-day-1/ |date=January 29, 2016 }} She continued in the competition despite the event costing her points. Ultimately, Nwaba completed the heptathlon and scored 5,315 points to place 27th.{{cite web|url=https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitiondocuments/pdf/4875/AT-800-W-u--0--.RS2.pdf|title=Heptathlon Results|website=aws.iaaf.org|access-date=15 January 2024}} In the process Nwaba recorded new personal bests in the javelin and shot put.[http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/united-states/barbara-nwaba-256053 IAAF Athlete Profile Barbara Nwaba] iaaf.org
Barbara Nwaba is the 2016 American Pentathlon Champion and qualified to represent the USA at the 2016 World Indoor Championships in Athletics.{{cite web |url=http://www.legacy.usatf.org/usatf/files/e9/e9153c00-b8fe-448a-867e-4ffeff008682.pdf |title=2016 Indoor Combined Events - 2/26/2016 to 2/27/2016 Fuhrer Field House Results - Indoor Pentathlon |publisher=usatf.org |date=February 28, 2016 |website=www.usatf.org|access-date=July 10, 2016}} Barbara Nwaba earned a bronze medal behind Brianne Theisen-Eaton and Alina Fyodorova in the Pentathlon at the 2016 World Indoor Championships scoring 4661 points.{{cite web |url=http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-indoor-championships/iaaf-world-indoor-championships-5681/results/women/pentathlon/800-metres/points|title=IAAF WORLD INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS UNITED STATES PORTLAND (OREGON CONVENTION CENTER), OR, UNITED STATES 17 MAR 2016 - 20 MAR 2016 |publisher=iaaf.org |date=March 19, 2016 |website=www.usatf.org|access-date=July 10, 2016}}
Barbara Nwaba scored 6494 points in the Heptathlon to join Team USA teammates Heather Miller-Koch and Kendell Williams at the 2016 United States Olympic Trials. She represented USA at the 2016 Summer Olympics{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2016/U-S--Olympic-Team-Trials---Track---Field/Athlete-Information.aspx |title=2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Track & Field |publisher=usatf.org |date=July 10, 2016| access-date=July 10, 2016}} finishing 12th as the top American.
References
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External links
- {{Sports links}}
- [http://ucsbgauchos.com/sports/w-track/mtt/nwaba_barbara00.html UC Santa Barbara biography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002090350/http://ucsbgauchos.com/sports/w-track/mtt/nwaba_barbara00.html |date=2018-10-02 }}
{{USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners in women's pentathlon}}
{{Footer US NC Heptathlon Women}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 2016 Summer Olympics}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nwaba, Barbara}}
Category:Track and field athletes from Los Angeles
Category:American heptathletes
Category:American female hurdlers
Category:American female high jumpers
Category:American sportspeople of Nigerian descent
Category:African-American track and field athletes
Category:University High School (Los Angeles) alumni
Category:UC Santa Barbara Gauchos women's track and field athletes
Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for the United States
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic track and field athletes for the United States
Category:USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners