1. Men’s 100m
This is always the most anticipated event in every championship, and expectedly takes the No. 1 spot in our toplist. This category not only adds glamour to the championship, it also gives the winner the bragging rights of being called ‘Nigeria’s Fastest Man’ for the next one year.
The Championship favourites ahead of the trials are Ogho-Oghene Egwero and Seye Ogunlewe. Since bursting into the national scene after winning the National Sports Festival (NSF), Egwero has been one of Nigeria’s most consistent sprinters.
This year he has recorded victories in all the Golden League meets, with his only defeat coming at the final leg in Akure, where he was narrowly beaten by Divine Oduduru. He comes with an SB of 10.15s and is the only sprinter to have qualified for the Olympics.
Ogunlewe is the current National Champion in this event, after he surprisingly defeated former champions Egwero and Obinna Metu, clocking a then PB of 10.19s.
This season, the 24-year old clocked an SB of 10.21s before lowering it some weeks later to 10.18s at the IAAF World Challenge Meeting in Madrid. Ogunlewe is still in the chase to qualify for Olympics and will be aiming to retain his title and set a huge PB too.
The likes of Metu, Monzavous Edwards and Oduduru cannot be written off as well. Which of these athletes will become the first Nigerian to run a sub 10s since Olusoji Fasuba’s African Record of 9.85s, achieved in 2006? Time will tell.
