Team Nigeria’s high spirits and steadfastness set the tone for a remarkable performance on Day 2 of the African Games Athletics segment as the squad’s efforts generated a total of 6 medals ( 3 GOLD, 1 Silver, and 2 Bronze).
TRACK EVENTS
The Mixed 4x400m was the last event of the day but certainly not the least, in fact, it was the most thrilling event. After qualifying to the final with the 2nd fastest time behind Botswana, Team Nigeria knew they had to give it their all. The only change Team Nigeria made from the heats was to replace Samson Nathaniel for Sikiru Adeyemi.
Team Nigeria started well with Emmanuel Ojeli giving them the lead which was maintained by Patience Okon George on the 2nd leg, and though the lead was eventually relinquished, Omolara Ogunmankinju fought hard in the last 50 meters to recover the lead and anchor the team to its first GOLD on the track along with a new African Record of 3:13.26. Botswana came in second with a NR of 3:13.99 over Kenya who was far 3rd in 3:18.03.
In the short sprints, Olayinka Olajide did put up a strong fight to ensure that Nigeria gets a place on the podium. She nicked Madagascar’s Claudine Njarasoa at the finish line by a thousandth of a second to claim the Bronze medal in 11.55s, becoming the first Nigerian woman in 13 years to medal in the event at the African Games since Oludamola Osayomi, Blessing Okagbare, and Gloria Asumnu swept the podium at the Maputo Games in 2011. Justina Eyakpobeyan came 5th in 11.60s as Gina Bass took the title in 11.36s.
Usheoritse Itsekiri upgraded his Bronze medal from the Rabat Edition to a Silver in the men’s 100m with a time of 10.23s behind Emmanuel Eseme (10.14s). Compatriot, Consider Ekanem placed just outside the medal podium in 4th place with a time of 10.42s.
The women’s 100m hurdles heats, which was the first track event of the evening session saw World Record Holder, Tobi Amusan in action along with two of her compatriots, Faith Osamuyi and Stella Anyaleke.
As expected, it was a walk in the park for the World Record Holder as she strolled to an easy 13.03s, almost a full second ahead of Mozambique’s Cecilia Guambe who came through with a NR of 14.00s. Stella Anyaleke was 5th in 15.09s after failing to recover from the first hurdle she clattered.
Faith Osamuyi finished 2nd in her heat with a time of 13.55s, which is not too far for her PB she set last month behind Madagascar’s Fiadanantsoa Sidonie (13.19s).
Nigeria’s only representative in the men’s 110m hurdles final, Wisdom Musa did his best and finished 7th with a time of 14.13. Senegal’s Louis Francois Mendy took the title in 13.61s ahead of the North African duo of Amine Bouanani of Algeria (13.69s) and Yousuf Sayed of Egypt (13.89s)
In the women’s 400m semis, Esther Elo Joseph reminded us once again that she’s a medal contender as she lowered her PB to 51.74s to conquer her heat. Her time is the second fastest time heading to the final behind Kenya’s Mary Moaraa (51.55s).
Brittany Ogunmokun and Esther Okon bowed out in the semis after placing 5th and 6th in their respective heats.
The men’s 400m semis was an absolute joy to watch as Chidi Okezie who has been in great form clocked an SB of 45.63, 0.03 shy of his PB to win his heat while Dubem Nwachukwu finished 2nd in his heat with a SB of 45.89, which is his first sub 46 this season. Sikiru Adeyemi did not finish (DNF) his race.
In the heats of the 4x100m relay, Team Nigeria secured their place in the final in both categories (men and women). The women’s quartet which comprised of Justina Eyakpobeyan, Olajide Olayinka, Chisom Onyebuchi, and Blessing Ogundiran finished 2nd with an SB of 43.91s behind Liberia (43.73s).
The men’s team which consists of Israel Sunday Okon, Consider Ekanem, Alaba Akintola, and Fakorede Adekalu dominated their heat with an SB of 38.70s, almost a full second ahead of Zambia (39.56s).
Comfort James improved on her PB to finish sixth in the women’s 800m final with a time of 2:04.87s.
FIELD EVENTS
Reigning African Games Champion and Games Record Holder, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi retained his title from 5 years ago with a distinguishing mark of 21.06m, the only mark beyond 21 metres. This win now extends Enekwechi’s dominance on the Continental scene to six years!
Ruth Usoro did what she knows best by winning the women’s Triple Jump, her maiden title in a continental competition. She leaped to 13.80m to go ahead of Kenya’s Bii Winny (13.64m) who once displaced Usoro to take the lead in the third round but couldn’t catch up with her when she finally got into her rhythm.
Sade Olatoye won the Bronze medal with a swing of 68.92m in her last attempt in one of the most exciting Hammer throw competitions ever held at the African Games as the Games Record was shattered five times by the medalists during the course of the competition. Tatar Zahra (69.65m) and Zouinna Bouzebra (68.97m) completed a 1-2 finish for Algeria.
