With the new Athletics season set to commence soon, some Nigerian athletes have already begun preparations to get themselves ready for the challenges ahead.
This past weekend in the United States of America, Nigeria had good representations in some of the meets held there, putting in good performances to inspire hope of great season to look forward to. Established Nigerian athletes like Regina George and Gloria Asumnu were all in the mix, competing to be in top shape.
George, one of Nigeria’s elite athletes resident in USA, won her 400m event in Austin, Texas on Saturday in a time of 51.89s. Her compatriot Ibukun Mayungbe was also in action as she came fifth in the same 400m race, with a time of 53.97s. George followed up her 400m performance with a fifth place finish in the 200m, after running a time of 23.59s.
Meanwhile that same day in Louisiana, her compatriot Asumnu did the double in both the 100m and 200m events respectively. Asumnu won her 100m race in 11.44s (w:+0.6) and also came out tops in the 200m, finishing in 23.39s to coast to victory.
In Greensboro, North Carolina, another Nigerian athlete was on parade in the meet. Peace Uko placed sixth in the women’s 100m event, finishing in a time of 11.63s . Ini-Oluwa Oye also accounted for a good Nigerian showing in Eugene, Oregon, placing third in the 200m event with a time of 21.24s (w:+2.3). In the field events, Euphemia Edem did a 6.22m leap to win the women’s Long Jump event in, Stephenville, Texas.
It was a similar tale in the male category, with Divine Oduduru continuing his fine displays from the African Junior Championship held last month in Ethiopia. Oduduru did the double in both the 100m and 200m event last weekend. He won his 100m race in a time of 10.43s and also claimed the top spot in the 200m, winning the race with a time of 21.22s in San Antonio, Texas.
The IAAF Diamond League season will kick off in Doha, Qatar on May 15 at the Suhain bin Hamad Stadium, and hopefully in years to come we will get to see more Nigerian athletes in action in the premiere Athletics league globally!
