Ofili, Akhigbe impress on Day 2 of FISU Trials

The second and final day of the World University Games (FISU) Trials came on with the finals of the men and women’s 200m as the highlight-producing races. The two-day competition was held at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Sports Complex in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

Favour Ofili who was recently crowned African Youth Champion over the 200m and 400m, focused on the shorter sprint only at these trials and totally dominated her race. The UNIPORT athlete came well out of the bend with a comfortable lead and then eased past the line to win in a commanding 23.81s ahead of Marvelous Asemota (BIU) who clocked 24.58s. DELSU’s Oghenekaro Brume placed 3^rd in 24.80s while Kelechi Christian was 4^th in 24.90s for UNILAG.

It was a much closer ordeal in the men’s 200m between Alaba Akintola of FUTA and Ahmadu Bello University’s Abdulazeez Oyetunji as they both matched one another, stride for stride until Oyetunji just edged out the former in 21.59s as Alaba clocked 21.62s to end in 2^nd place.

Segun Akhigbe in spite of a tight schedule, came forward to take the 3^rd spot in 21.98s ahead of his teammate from UNILAG, Peter Edwin who was 4^th in 22.32s.

The men’s 400m on the other hand turned into what could be called a surprise. Segun Akhigbe ran a balanced race, coasting well on the back straight and then began to charge away on the home straight as he won with some ‘daylight’ in 48.33s from Aminu Mohammed (ABU) who ran 48.63s. A more favoured Jeremiah Nathaniel from Tai Solarin University finished 3^rd in 49.11s while EKSU’s Niyi Ogunleye clocked 49.31s for 4^th.

Glory Patrick (UNIPORT) topped the women’s 400m in 55.32s ahead of Oghenekaro Brume who in her first competitive 400m, raced into 2^nd place in 55.57s after finishing 4^th and 3^rd in the 100m and 200m respectively.

Abasiono Akpan who won the women’s 400m Hurdles in 61.00s also dominated the 800m final in likewise manner with a time of 2:25.19. Ndukponke Okure of UNIPORT won the first heat of the men’s 400m Hurdles in 55.08s while Stephen Eloji took the other heat in 56.84s.

Blessing Oluwayemi after finishing 2^nd in the Long Jump (7.22m), won the men’s Triple Jump with a 15.69m leap ahead of Lawal Fuad Opeyemi who reached 13.97m. Lawrence Onyejiaka led the men’s Javelin with a 53.54m throw.