Team Nigeria claimed three more medals at the ongoing 22nd African Senior Championships in Mauritius, two GOLD and one Bronze from the women’s Discus and women’s 4x100m relay respectively. The GOLD medals helped push Nigeria up to 3rd place on the medals table, with South Africa and Kenya currently occupying the Top 2 spots.
The quartet of Praise Ofoku, Tima Godbless, Praise Idamadudu and Tobi Amusan bounced back into reckoning in the final of the event on Day 3 of competition, storming to GOLD to claim the country’s 11th title in the women’s 4x100m in the history of the championships.
Nigeria is the defending champion in the event as Joy Udo-Gabriel, Blessing Okagbare, Amusan and Rosemary Chukwuma claimed GOLD in Asaba in 2018. Nigeria has also won both the men and women’s 4x100m more than any other country at the biennial championship.
It was an off day for their male counterparts as the team comprising Raymond Ekevwo, Nicholas Mabilo, Ogho-Oghene Egwero and Seye Ogunlewe got round the baton in the men’s 4x100m, narrowly missing out on a podium placement after finishing 4th in a Season’s Best of 39.98s.
Nigeria’s second and third medals of the day came from the women’s Discus event where National Record holder Chioma Onyekwere inspired a 1-3 finish for the country, partnering with Obiageri Amechi who scooped Bronze.
Onyekwere successfully defended her African Championships title with a mark of 58.19m while Amechi who was representing Nigeria for the first time in her career, finished 3rd with her distance of 54.44m.
Team Nigeria’s third entrant in the event, Princess Kara, recorded only two valid throws and had to settle for 5th with her best mark of 51.15m.
Patience Okon-George who was the only Nigerian to make the final in the 400m, started strong but eventually ran out of steam and had to settle for 5th in a time of 52.98s. The five-time Nigerian Champion was a member of the quartet that took Silver in the mixed 4x400m yesterday.
It was a day to forget for Rilwan Alowonle who tripped and fell while trying to scale the last hurdle in the men’s 400m Hurdles. Although down and out, Alowonle got the applause of the spectators after he picked himself up and still finished the race.
