The NTIC School student had earlier secured her place in the final after winning her semi-final heat in 11.53 seconds before producing an even stronger performance to claim the gold medal.
Her triumph completed a remarkable Nigerian double in the 100m events, following compatriot Gift Bright’s victory in the men’s final with a personal-best time of 10.28 seconds. The achievement made Nigeria the first country to win both the men's and women's 100m titles at the same edition of the Youth Olympic Games.
According to information published on the Olympics' official website, Nwankwo became the third Nigerian woman to win the girls’ 100m gold at the Youth Olympics, following Josephine Omaka, who triumphed in Singapore in 2010, and Rosemary Chukwuma, who claimed the title in Buenos Aires in 2018.
Nigeria has now accumulated five titles across the 100m and 200m sprint events at the Youth Olympics since 2010, more than any other nation.
The 2026 Youth Olympic Games, which run from October 31 to November 13, are also historic as the first Olympic sporting event to be hosted on African soil.
The teenager from Mbaukwu, Anambra State, arrived in Dakar with an impressive record, having won gold in the 4x100m relay at the 2026 African Athletics Championships in Accra.
She also reached the semi-finals of the 100m event at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, earlier in the year, Sports 247 reports.
Nwankwo's development has also benefited from the mentorship of Nigerian athletics legend Mary Onyali-Omagbemi, a five-time Olympian and bronze medallist in the 200m at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and the 4x100m relay at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Onyali-Omagbemi, who also hails from Mbaukwu, has mentored the young sprinter and publicly expressed confidence in her ability to succeed before the competition.
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