Nigeria’s Omolara Omotosho has qualified for the semifinal of the women’s 200m at the ongoing World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea, finishing 3rd in Heat 3 with a time of 24.45s. Italy’s Giulia Riva won the race in a time of 23.99s, narrowly beating Belgium’s Hanne Claes who crossed the finish line with the same time as the winner.
Omotosho, a 2014 World Relays Bronze medallist, will now compete in the second semifinal taking place on Friday, and would be looking towards making the final. This will be welcome news considering the travails of the Nigerian team who went to Korea.
Despite not running in his preferred 400m, Nigeria’s Ayotoluwa Agusto put up a valiant performance in the men’s 200m. Agusto qualified as the fastest loser from his heat in round 1, running a time of 21.57s to go through. Later on Thursday, he went on to finish 5th in his heat in round 2, and though he did not make the semis he will be pleased to get his Nigeria career started.
Earlier in the day, Mobalade Ajomale competing for Canada, won his heat in round 1 with a time of 21.13s, going on to match that time in the next round where he finished 2nd in his heat to move on to the semifinal on Friday.
Meanwhile, Ivory Coast’s Koffi Hua Wilfred Serge and South Africa’s Titi Ncincilili are the only Africans in the men’s 200m semifinal with their victories in round 2. They both won heats 1 and 3 in 20.93s and 20.84s respectively.
In the 100m final, South Africa’s Akani Simbine twice broke the University Games Record (UR) in one day. Simbine first broke the record in the semifinal after running 10.00s to smash Lee Macrae’s 10.07s, which has stood since 1987. He did better in the final, setting another UR with his 9.97s which won him the GOLD medal, beating Jamaica’s Kemarley Brown won Silver in 10.12s, and Turkey’s Ramil Guliyev winning Bronze in 10.16s.
On Wednesday evening, Nigeria’s Chukwuma Onyeaku finished 6th in his heat from round 2 with a time of 10.56s, qualifying for the semis on Thursday where he finished 5th, clocking a time of 10.61s.
Odele Tega Peter must not have made the trip to Korea after he registered a no-show in the 200m that he was listed in, having also missed the 100m on Wednesday. The duo of Allen Eke who did not start the 1500m on Tuesday, and also Stephen Mozia who did not compete in the men’s Shot Put on Wednesday. However, Eke has been listed to start in Heat 2 of the men’s 800m taking place on Friday.
With the Relays coming up this weekend, there is a possibility that some of the Nigerian athletes who arrived late, will team up to form a quartet that will compete for the country.
