A Rising Star in Australian Athletics
Charlotte Ehioghae is a name that’s quickly becoming synonymous with excellence in Australian athletics. At just 14 years old, this West Australian schoolgirl has already made a significant impact on the national junior track scene.
Inspired by the teenage sensation Gout Gout, Ehioghae showcased her talent during the national junior titles in Brisbane. She set a new championship record in the under-16 girls 200m final, clocking an impressive 23.07 seconds with a wind assistance of +0.3 m/s.
This remarkable time not only surpassed the previous record of 23.29 set by Emilia Reed last year but also placed Ehioghae as the second-fastest under-18 Australian in the 200m event, behind the legendary Raelene Boyle. Her performance was so close to breaking the national under-16 record—set by Debbie Wells in 1976 at 22.80 seconds (equivalent to 23.04 with electronic timing)—that she was just 0.03 seconds away from matching it and 0.04 seconds off breaking it.
Ehioghae’s style on the track is nothing short of captivating. With long, graceful strides and powerful arm movements, she electrified the crowd and left everyone in awe. When asked about her feelings after the race, she simply said, “really great.” She added, “I’ve been training throughout last year and this year, put all the effort in and then dropped to 23.07. Couldn’t be happier.”
Her victory was decisive, with a margin of about 10 metres over the second-place finisher, Sienna Vassella (23.91), and Tannah Hildebrand (23.94) rounding out the podium. All three runners met the time standard for the world under-20 championships in Eugene, Oregon, in August. However, their young age means they are currently ineligible to qualify.
Ehioghae’s idol is Gout, the 18-year-old from Ipswich who recently became the fastest teenager in world history over 200m. Ehioghae admires his running style and demeanor, saying, “I feel like we run a bit alike with the strides. And the way he carries himself, it’s just amazing.”
The Ehioghae family has a rich athletic heritage. Charlotte’s mother, Esther Aghatise, competed in long jump at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, finishing seventh. Her 16-year-old brother, Paul, has personal bests of 10.49 in the 100m and 22.13 in the 200m, while her 12-year-old sister, Emmanuella, has personal bests of 12.01 in the 100m and 24.21 in the 200m. Both siblings are competing at these junior championships, which conclude on Monday.
In fact, Emmanuella set a championship record of her own with a 24.21 in the under-14 girls 200m final on Wednesday.
Charlotte’s personal best in the 100m is 11.47. She may well surpass that time when she competes in the heats and final of the blue riband event on Monday.
When asked what she loves about athletics, Charlotte smiled and said, “Inspiring others, inspiring everyone else, making people happy and my parents proud.” She has been involved in athletics since she was four years old and continues to pursue it with passion.
“My mum just decided she wanted to put us in athletics because she knew we had the talent. From there she just started training us, and here we are,” she explained.