It was mission accomplished for Team Nigeria on the final day of the competition as they reclaimed their position as the best overall Athletics team at the African Games—after losing to Kenya at the last edition—with a total of 22 medals (11 GOLD, 6 Silver, 5 Bronze), which is their highest medal tally since 2007.
TRACK EVENTS
The women’s 4x400m quartet (Esther Elo Joseph, Patience Okon George, Brittany Ogunmoku, and Omolara Ogunmankinju) had no competition as they were chasing against the clock. They got the baton round in a Seasons Best (SB) of 3:27.29s to win the GOLD ahead of Zambia (3:31.85) and Botswana (3:33.44)
The men’s 4x400m (Emmanuel, Ojeli, Samson Nathaniel, Sikiru Adeyemi, and Chidi Okezie) clocked Nigeria’s fastest time in the event in two decades to claim the Bronze with a time of 3:01.84 behind Zambia (2:59.12) and Botswana (2:59.33)
Olajide Olayinka got a complete medal set at her first national assignment, after almost closing down on Gina Bass (23.13s) to take the Silver in 23.18s. Olayinka is the only Nigerian athlete, male and female, to win three medals at the African Games.
After missing out on the 100m podium, Consider Ekanem ensured he didn’t miss out on the 200m as he won the Bronze medal with a time of 20.80s behind Joseph Paul Amoah (20.70s) and Itoungue Claude Emmanuel (20.74s). Alaba Akintola finished 6th with a time of 21.12s.
FIELD EVENTS
Chinecherem Nnamdi Prosper won the men’s Javelin Throw with a Personal Best and National Record of 82.80m, making him the first Nigerian Javelin Thrower in 29 years to ever accomplish such a feat. African Record Holder Julius Yego was 2nd in 81.74m.
Sade Olatoye added a Silver medal to her collection as she placed 2nd in the women’s Shot Put with a distance of 16.61m.
Emmanuel Njoku leaped to 7.66m to place 5th in the men’s Long Jump while Goodluck Fiaku finished joint 8th in the men’s High Jump with a clearance height of 2.10m.
