Duan Asemota
{{Short description|Canadian sprinter (born 1996)}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Duan Asemota
| image = Duan Asemota, Abdul Hakim Sani Brown & Oblique Seville.jpg
| caption = Asemota (center) at the 2024 Summer Olympics
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|8|29|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| nationality = Canadian
| sport = Athletics
| event = 100 metres, 200 metres, 60 metres
| universityteam = Ohio State University
| club = Speed Academy Athletics Club / Speed with Attitude
| coach = Charles Allen
| pb =
{{ubl|
100 m: 10.03 s (London, ON 2024)
| 60 m (indoor): 6.70 s (Toronto 2025)
| 200 m: 20.95 s (Windsor, ON 2017)
}}
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's athletics}}
{{MedalCompetition|World Relay Championships}}
{{MedalGold | 2025 Guangzhou | 4 × 100 m relay}}
}}
Duan Asemota (born August 29, 1996) is a Canadian sprinter specializing in the 100 metres. He represented Canada at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, competing in both the 100 metres and the 4 × 100 metres relay. Asemota is a multiple-time national team member and a former NCAA All-American.
Early life and education
Asemota was born in Montreal, Quebec, and raised in Ajax, Ontario. He began track and field at the age of eight but focused on sprinting during high school at Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School. Asemota was a multi-sport athlete, also playing basketball for the Durham City Bulldogs and soccer for Pickering Soccer Club. In 2014, he broke his high school's senior records in both the 100 metres and 200 metres.
After high school, Asemota attended Coffeyville Community College in Kansas, earning an associate degree before transferring to Ohio State University, where he majored in communication studies and competed in NCAA Division I track and field.
Collegiate career
At Ohio State, Asemota became a First-Team All-American, contributing to the 4×100 metre relay team's school record and second-place finish at the 2018 NCAA Championships. He also earned silver in the 100 metres at the 2018 Big Ten Championships and helped the relay team win the Big Ten title that year.
International career
Asemota made his international debut at the 2015 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships in Edmonton, Alberta. In 2016, he competed at the NACAC U23 Championships in San Salvador, running 10.87 seconds in the 100 metres preliminaries and helping Canada's 4×100 metre relay team to a fifth-place finish in 40.55 seconds.
In 2019, Asemota finished fifth in the 100 metres at the 2019 Summer Universiade in Naples.
In 2023, he placed fifth in the 100 metres at the Canadian Track and Field Championships, earning a spot on Canada's 4×100 metre relay team for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
2024 Summer Olympics
At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Asemota competed in the men's 100 metres, finishing fifth in his heat with a time of 10.17 seconds, narrowly missing advancement to the semifinals. He also participated in the 4×100 metre relay. Asemota later revealed he had been managing a torn labrum and sports hernia during the Games.{{cite web |title=De Grasse through to 100m semifinal on second day of track and field at Paris 2024 |url=https://olympic.ca/2024/08/03/de-grasse-through-to-100m-semifinal-on-second-day-of-track-and-field-at-paris-2024/ |website=Olympic.ca |date=August 3, 2024 |access-date=April 11, 2025}}
2025 Canadian Indoor Championships
In March 2025, Asemota won the men's 60 metres at the Canadian Indoor Championships in Toronto with a time of 6.70 seconds. He also anchored his club, Speed with Attitude, to gold in the 4×200 metre relay in 1:30.51, setting a new championship record.{{cite web |title=Canadian Indoor Championships |url=https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7220336 |website=World Athletics |access-date=April 11, 2025}}
Coaching
Asemota is coached by Charles Allen, a former Canadian Olympian and current Hub Coach for Sprints and Hurdles (East) with Athletics Canada.
Career highlights
class="wikitable sortable"
! Year !! Competition !! Event !! Result !! Notes | ||||
2015 | Pan American Junior Championships | 100 m | — | DQ (false start) |
2016 | NACAC U23 Championships | 100 m | 10.87 | Prelims only |
2016 | NACAC U23 Championships | 4×100 m relay | 5th | 40.55 seconds |
2018 | Big Ten Championships | 100 m | 2nd | Silver medalist |
2018 | Big Ten Championships | 4×100 m relay | 1st | Gold medalist, Conference record |
2018 | NCAA Championships | 4×100 m relay | 2nd | NCAA All-American |
2019 | 2019 Summer Universiade | 100 m | 5th | Finalist |
2023 | Canadian Track and Field Championships | 100 m | 5th | Named to World Championships team |
2023 | 2023 World Athletics Championships | 4×100 m relay | — | Represented Canada |
2024 | 2024 Summer Olympics | 100 m | 5th in heat | 10.17 seconds |
2024 | 2024 Summer Olympics | 4×100 m relay | — | Competed |
2025 | Canadian Indoor Championships | 60 m | 1st | National Champion (6.70) |
2025 | Canadian Indoor Championships | 4×200 m relay | 1st | Gold medal, Championship record |
Personal bests
class="wikitable" | ||||
Event | Time | Wind | Venue | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
100 metres | 10.03 s | +1.9 m/s | London, Ontario | May 26, 2024 |
100 metres (wind-assisted) | 9.98 s | +3.4 m/s | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | April 20, 2024 |
200 metres | 20.95 s | +0.9 m/s | Windsor, Ontario | June 18, 2017 |
60 metres (indoor) | 6.70 s | N/A | Toronto, Ontario | March 22, 2025 |
4×200 metres relay (indoor) | 1:30.51 | N/A | Toronto, Ontario | March 22, 2025 |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://worldathletics.org/athletes/canada/duan-asemota-14551202 Duan Asemota] at World Athletics
- [https://olympics.com/en/athletes/duan-asemota Duan Asemota] at Olympics.com
- [https://athletics.ca/athlete/duan-asemota/ Duan Asemota] at Athletics Canada
Category:Canadian male sprinters
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic track and field athletes for Canada
Category:Ohio State Buckeyes men's track and field athletes
Category:People from Ajax, Ontario
Category:Sportspeople from Ontario
{{Canada-sprint-athletics-bio-stub}}