Barbara Nwaba at the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships
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Personal information | |
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Full name | Barbara Udoezi Nwaba |
Nationality | American |
Born |
Los Angeles, California, United States |
January 18, 1989
Education | University of California, Santa Barbara (B.A. 2012) |
Occupation | Track and field athlete |
Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) |
Sport | |
College team | UC Santa Barbara Gauchos |
Team | Santa Barbara Track Club |
Coached by | Josh Priester |
Achievements and titles | |
World finals | 2016, 2015 |
Olympic finals | 2016 |
Updated on 02:41, 30 June 2015 (UTC). |
Barbara Udoezi Nwaba (born January 18, 1989) is an American track and field athlete who represents the Santa Barbara Track Club. Nwaba is known for the multi events, pentathlon and heptathlon. She is the 2015 USA Outdoor Track and Field champion in the heptathlon.
Nwaba was born January 18, 1989 in Los Angeles, California, to Nigerian parents Theodore & Blessing Nwaba. She is the oldest of 6 children. A 2007 graduate of University High School, Nwaba was the CIF Los Angeles City Section champion in the 300 meters hurdles in 2007 and a 4-time runner up and representative in the high jump to the CIF California State Meet, but was eliminated in the preliminary rounds.
Nwaba attended the University of California, Santa Barbara on academic grounds, intending to study optometry, ultimately graduating in 2012 with a degree in Sociology. After redshirting a season, she set the school records in the 100 meters hurdles, 400 meters hurdles (since surpassed), and was part of the record setting 4x400 meters relay team (also since surpassed). In the process, she also ranked in the top ten in most of the heptathlon events. She finished her career as the champion of the Big West Conference heptathlon in 2012 en route to being named an All-American.
Her brother, David Nwaba is a professional basketball player. He made his debut with the hometown Los Angeles Lakers on February 28, 2017.
Continuing with the multi-event oriented Santa Barbara Track Club, Nwaba continued to make steady improvements with coach Josh Priester, himself a former UCSB track and field coach. She was fifth at the 2012 Olympic Trials scoring 5986 points.