Team Nigeria’s Emmanuel Arowolo was arguably the standout performer at the 2019 Cameroon CAA Grand Prix in Yaounde on Saturday, July 20th, as he ran the race of his life to win the men’s 200m A Final, surpassing the World Championships qualifying standard of 20.40s by storming to an impressive new Personal Best of 20.37s (-0.3).
This makes the African Championships Silver medallist the second fastest Nigerian in the world this season, behind Divine Oduduru, having shaved off a huge chunk from his previous PB of 20.85s set in Abuja last year. This is also Arowolo’s second time of competing at the Cameroon Grand Prix, having made his debut in 2017 where he also claimed the 200m title.
Botswana’s Leaname Maotanong and Rapael Ngaguele of Cameroon followed in 2nd and 3rd respectively, clocking times of 20.74s and 21.17s.
Enoch Adegoke continued his impressive run this season by storming to the men’s 100m title in a time of 10.15s to finish ahead of Karabo Mothibi of Botswana (10.30s) and Eseme Emmanuel Alobwede of Cameroon (10.49s).
Commonwealth Games Silver medallist Patience Okon-George was another dominant figure in Yaounde where she clocked a time of 52.29s to win the women’s 400m title, with Cameroon’s Linda Angounou (54.32s) and Congo’s Cecilia Bouele (54.72s) following in 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Team Nigeria dominated all three relay events they competed in, earning them the top spot on the medals table as they secured a total of six victories at the competition.
The quartet of Adegoke, Alaba Akintola, Thankgod Igube and Arowolo won the men’s 4x100m with an SB of 39.43s to finish ahead of Botswana (39.56s) and Cameroon Team A (39.75s).
It was a similar story in the men’s 4x400m as Orukpe Eraiyokan, Sikiru Adeyemi, Shedrack Akpeki and Emmanuel Ojeli stormed to an SB of 3:05.81, with Cameroon Teams A and B placing 2nd and 3rd respectively in 3:28.32 and 3:35.18.
In the women’s 4x400m, Okon-George, Favour Ofili, Blessing Ovwighoadjebre and Abike Egbeniyi were the team to beat as they claimed the win in an SB of 3.32.21, ahead of Cameroon’s Teams A and B.
