University of Illinois Athletics

Charlton Ehizuelen, Track & Field • 1974-77

Ehizuelen came to Illinois from Nigeria and became the greatest jumper in Illini history. He was the NCAA Outdoor Champion in the triple jump in 1974 and in the long jump in 1975, becoming the first African to win either title. He also twice won the NCAA Indoor Championship in long jump in 1976 and 1977. Ehizuelen was a four-time Indoor All-American. Competing collegiately in his native continent, he won the long jump/triple jump double at the 1975 All-Africa University Games and defended his long jump title four years later. Ehizuelen won the USA Indoor Championship long jump in 1978. His best leap in the long jump was 27-1 in 1975 and his best triple jump was 55-2, with the latter mark from 1975 remaining as the Nigerian indoor record. In his first Illini meet, Ehizuelen set the Big Ten long jump record at 25-9.5, one-half inch past the previous mark set by Jesse Owens 39 years earlier. That same day, he triple-jumped 53-11 ¾, setting Big Ten and NCAA records. More than four decades after his collegiate career ended, his long jump and triple jump marks still stand as Illini records. Ehizuelen won 12 Big Ten titles, including 11 individual and one relay. He qualified to compete for Nigeria at the 1976 Olympics, but Nigeria boycotted after the team had already arrived in Montreal. A torn muscle kept him off the 1980 Olympic team. Ehizuelen currently resides in San Antonio, Texas.