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NewsvineSenior Wopamo Osaisai of the Stanford track and field and football teams was born in the United States but moved to Nigeria, where he lived from age four to twelve.
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Osaisai spent the majority of his youth racing the other kids that lived near him in Nigeria, realizing his speed and quickness (none of the other kids could run away from him).
Upon returning to the United States, Osaisai joined the track team at his middle school, and has been running ever since, whether on the track or on the football field. A notable two-sport varsity athlete at Stanford, Osaisai has made his mark on the track, recently winning the 100 meter dash at the Pac-10 Championships two weeks ago.
Osaisai’s prowess on the track paid off in football, as he was among the fastest players in the conference this past year. He also holds the Stanford school record in the 100 meter dash, with a time of 10.39 seconds, and the Stanford indoor record in the 60 meter dash, 6.83 seconds.
He also is known for wearing socks with the Cheshire Cat from “Alice in Wonderland” on them during competitions.
According to Osaisai, during spring quarter, he wakes up, eats breakfast, attends class, eats lunch, goes to track practice, then pretends to do homework until he falls asleep. The busy senior has to divide his time between track and football, allowing him to maintain his peak physical condition throughout the year.
Osaisai was one of the top athletes in the Bay Area in high school, excelling in football, track and soccer. The highlight of Osaisai’s high school athletic career came when he won both the 100 and 200 meters at the 2004 U.S. Junior Olympics. Initially recruited to play football on the Farm, Osaisai chose to offer his incredible running skills to the athletic program as well, and immediately became a standout sprinter for the Cardinal.
As far as his collegiate running career goes, Osaisai claims winning Pac-10s to be the climax thus far, especially after placing last his freshman year, not competing his sophomore year and placing fourth in the event junior year. It was an excellent way for him to finish up his running career on campus.
After the upcoming NCAA Championships, Osaisai will hang up his spikes for good, only competing in football next year as a fifth-year senior. The upcoming Olympics are not an option the senior is considering, although he might consider the Olympics in 2012. For now, his main focus is football, and hopefully entering the NFL draft after completing his last season on campus.
However, Osaisai is somewhat disappointed with his track career thus far, although he does see some hope for himself in the upcoming weeks.
“I haven’t accomplished as much as I would have liked to,” said Osaisai. “But as long as I finish on top in the next two weeks, I’ll be content.”
With regard to his fellow teammates, Osaisai said that he and noted middle distance runner Russell Brown “have a good connection and chemistry.”
So for one last time, Osaisai will don his “Alice in Wonderland” Cheshire Cat socks and spikes as he prepares to compete on the track for the Cardinal. He will be competing in the 100, 200, and 4x100 relay this weekend at the NCAA West Regional, hoping to qualify for the NCAA Championships in two weeks.
However, if you miss him there, his fast action can be viewed on the football field come fall. Just keep an eye open for the fastest man on the field.