Edidiong Udo’s Journey through Loss and Recovery into becoming a Big Ten Champion

Dylan Buganski
Fri, 03 Apr 2026 01:04:54 +0000
Instagram Page, News, Sports, Track & Field, athlete feature, Big Ten champion, Big Ten Indoor Championships, college track, Edidiong Udo, injury comeback, NCAA track and field, Ohio State athletics, Ohio State track and field, program record, Resilience, student-athlete story

Edidiong Udo before an indoor race. Credit: Ohio State Athletics

He earned second-team All-American status in the 400 meters during the indoor season and in the 4×400 meters during the outdoor season in his freshman year. He also suffered loss and injury.

In February 2025, while competing during the indoor season, he lost both of his parents within a span of seven days.

As he prepared for the 2026 indoor season, he then suffered a knee injury that nearly kept him from competing.

Yet, with the Big Ten Indoor Championships wrapping up last week, Udo stands as a program record holder and a Big Ten champion.

Through all the adversity he faced, he reached his goal of becoming a Big Ten champion and a chance to compete at Nationals, wanting to make his late parents proud in the process.

“After my parents passed, that really changed the rhythm of everything last season,” said Udo, “They were all of my motivation, and I just wanted to be a good son and make them proud.”

Udo came here as a freshman in 2024 from Ikot Ekpene, Nigeria, over 5,000 miles away from Columbus. Before he lost his parents, he dedicated his time on the weekends to communicating with them from afar.

“I always made Saturdays for them,” said Udo, “I missed them so much, but they were my biggest supporters in getting a scholarship in the United States and wanted me to make them proud.”

Before they died, Udo held the NCAA lead in the indoor 400 meters. He accomplished this without ever competing indoors up to that season.

Even with dealing with the loss and struggling to find rhythm after, he was adamant on continuing to compete to reach his goals. This drive led him to qualify individually in the 400 meters, finishing with a personal best time and second team All-American status.

“I was grieving, but I told my coach I am not backing down. I still have to pursue,” said Udo.

He carried the momentum of that indoor season into his outdoor performances, where he again was able to secure a second-team All-American finish with his 4×400 relay team.

Using that success to drive him for more coming into his second season of indoor competition, he suffered a knee injury.

This adversity did not stop his mission of getting back to indoor NCAAs, carrying the mindset that he would do whatever it takes to compete.

“The plan was to reach these indoors,” said Udo, “I have a vision to go pro, I did not want to stay out of competing.”

He missed the first four weeks of practice and was able to return for the season. Yet, it took him time to find himself running at his best self.

It was the Stan Scott Invite at Texas Tech on January 30th where he felt he had returned to his best self. It was also the meet where he and the 4×400 relay team broke the program record time.?

“It took me six or seven weeks of practice to feel I was back to my fastest,” said Udo, “This feeling really happened when I ran that time, it was the fastest I’ve ever ran indoors.

From there, the 4×400 team rolled into the Big Ten Championships with confidence, where they broke their own program record and won the conference title.

Joel Brown, the associate head coach of the Ohio State track and field program and the coach who recruited Udo, commented on his ability to meet his goals, but also how selfless they are

“What stands out most is that his goals are lofty but never just about him,” said Udo, “He genuinely wants the 4×400 relay and the entire group to succeed. He trains with purpose, competes with pride, and brings consistency to the group every day.”

He also highlighted his perseverance and how he did not let this adversity tear him down.

“Eddie has shown an uncommon level of maturity and resilience this past year,” said Udo, “ He’s faced adversity that could have easily derailed his season, but instead of allowing it to become an excuse, he used it as fuel.”