Meet The Legends

The Legends Track & Field Series proudly partners with some of Track & Field's greatest athletic icons, whose achievements on the world stage have inspired generations and elevated the Africa’s reputation in global sports. Among them are Mary Onyali (Nigeria), Olympic medalist and sprint queen; Samuel Matete (Zambia), world champion and African record holder in the 400m hurdles; Eunice Barber (Sierra Leone/France), world champion heptathlete and long jumper; Fabrice Zango (Burkina Faso), Olympic medalist, world champion, and world record holder in the triple jump; and Innocent Egbunike (Nigeria/USA), former African record holder across all three men’s sprint events and Olympic medalist. Together, these legends embody excellence, resilience, and legacy, forming the foundation of a series designed to showcase Africa’s talent, inspire youth, and build world-class competition platforms across the continent.

Mary Onyali, Oly – Sprint Queen of Africa

 

  • Full Name: Mary Onyali, OLY

  • Nationality: Nigerian

  • Specialty Events: 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay

  • Career Highlights:

    • 5-time Olympian (1988–2004)

    • Olympic Bronze Medalist – 4x100m relay (1992 Barcelona)

    • Commonwealth Games Champion (100m & 200m Gold, 1994)

    • Multiple African Championships Gold Medalist

    • Only Nigerian athlete to medal in five consecutive All-Africa Games (1987–2003)

  • Legacy: Pioneer of Nigerian women’s athletics and Africa’s sprint queen, Onyali is an inspiration for female athletes across the continent.

  • Event in Series: Mary Onyali Classic – Abeokuta, Nigeria


 

Eunice Barber – Heptathlon & Long Jump Champion

 

  • Full Name: Eunice Barber

  • Nationality: Sierra Leonean/French

  • Specialty Events: Heptathlon, Long Jump

  • Career Highlights:

    • World Champion – Heptathlon (1999, Seville)

    • World Champion – Long Jump (2003, Paris)

    • African Record Holder (past) – Heptathlon

    • Multiple World Championships Medalist

  • Legacy: One of Africa’s most versatile and decorated female athletes, Barber’s resilience and dual heritage symbolize the global spirit of athletics.

  • Event in Series: Eunice Barber Classic – Freetown, Sierra Leone


 

Fabrice Zango – Triple Jump Pioneer

 

  • Full Name: Hugues Fabrice Zango

  • Nationality: Burkinabé

  • Specialty Event: Triple Jump

  • Career Highlights:

    • Olympic Bronze Medalist – 2020 Tokyo (Burkina Faso’s first Olympic medal)

    • World Champion – 2023 Budapest (Triple Jump)

    • Indoor World Record Holder – 18.07m (Triple Jump)

    • African Record Holder (indoor & outdoor)

    • Multiple World Indoor Championships Medalist

  • Legacy: Burkina Faso’s first global sports icon, Zango’s achievements lifted his country onto the athletics world stage.

  • Event in Series: Fabrice Zango Classic – Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso


 

Samuel Matete – The African Hurdles Legend

 

  • Full Name: Samuel Matete

  • Nationality: Zambian

  • Specialty Event: 400m Hurdles

  • Career Highlights:

    • World Champion – 1991 Tokyo (400m hurdles)

    • Olympic Silver Medalist – 1996 Atlanta (400m hurdles)

    • African Record Holder – 400m hurdles (47.10s)

    • Commonwealth Games Champion – 1994 Victoria

    • Multiple African Championships Gold Medalist

  • Legacy: Zambia’s greatest track athlete and Africa’s hurdling icon, Matete’s record remains one of the longest-standing on the continent.

  • Event in Series: Samuel Matete Classic – Ndola, Zambia


 

Innocent Egbunike – The Sprint Pioneer
of Africa

 

  • Full Name: Innocent Ejima Egbunike

  • Nationality: Nigerian-American

  • Specialty Events: 100, 200m, 400m, Relays

  • Career Highlights:

    • Olympic Silver Medalist – 1984 Los Angeles (4x400m relay)

    • Olympic Bronze Medalist – 1984 Los Angeles (4x400m relay)y

    • Former African Record Holder – 100m, 200m, 400m

    • Multiple World Championships Medalist

    • African Games Gold Medalist

  • Legacy: Known as the “Architect of Sprinting in Africa,” Egbunike is
    revered both as an athlete and as a coach shaping future
    sprint champions globally.

  • Event in Series: Innocent Egbunike Classic – [Location TBA]

 

 

LTFS

Honoring Legacies & Inspiring the Future

info@legendstfs.com