'The fastest man in Africa' qualifies in his Navy trade

A FORMER Nigerian sprinter dubbed 'the fastest man in Africa' has qualified as a Royal Navy logistics specialist at Torpoint's HMS Raleigh.

Olusoji Fasuba, who holds the African 100-metre record, joined the military last May.

Leading from the front, Olusoji Fasuba at the head of his group during a walk during initial naval training around the Rame Peninsular.
Olusoji Fasuba with his course certificate presented on completion of his specialist training within the Defence Maritime Logistics School at HMS Raleigh.
In at the deep end, Olusoji Fasuba (right) during Exercise Daring Leap, one of the three extended exercises during initial naval training.
Olusoji Fasuba taking part in weapons training during his ten-week initial naval training course. Pictures: Dave Sherfield.

After his ten-week initial naval training course he transferred to the Defence Maritime Logistics School for a 12-week professional course and is now ready to take up his first posting.

Mr Fasuba said: "I've had a very good career in athletics and been there with the big boys, but I was looking to the future and wanted to settle.

"My father used to work for the Nigerian Navy, so from a young age it was all about the navy. Some of my friends are serving in the British Army and tried to persuade me to join, but for me it had to be the Royal Navy.

"Training has been my way of life for a long time. Growing up in Nigeria, discipline is very strict, so that aspect of being in the Navy wasn't really a shock to me. It was tough mentally sometimes and I did question myself about what I was doing, but ultimately I wanted to do it for myself and my family."

The 27-year-old took up running at a young age and became a teenage champion.

He was part of the Nigerian team which took the bronze medal in the 4 x 100 metres relay at the Athens Olympics in 2004.

Mr Fasuba won gold medals at the All-African Games in 2007 at 100 metres and as part of the 4 x 100 metres relay team.

He also took the gold medal at the Indoor Championships at 60 metres in 2008.

Mr Fasuba achieved his personal best of 9.85 seconds and established a new African record for 100 metres at the Doha Grand Prix in 2006.

Looking for a more settled life for himself and his family, he brought his wife Ngozi, a fellow athlete, and daughter Annabelle, aged seven months, to the UK for a naval career.

British, Irish and Commonwealth citizens are all eligible to join the armed forces.