Best Okpor had an outing to remember at the Grand Finale of MTN CHAMPS Season 2 in Calabar, accumulating three individual GOLD medals on the final day of competition at the MTN CHAMPS Season 2 Grand Final held at the U.J Esuene Stadium in Calabar, Cross River State on Friday, 3rd May, 2024.
The Team MVP athlete who had won Long Jump GOLD on the second day of competition, shaved over a second off the Personal Best (PB) he ran in the Cadet Boys’ (U14) 400m heats, clocking a time of 56.13s to win.
He held off the charge of fellow Team MVP athlete Ismail Hassan who closed in on him to take Silver in 56.51s, while Chinedu Progress got 3rd in 59.25s.
Few minutes after winning 400m GOLD, he doubled back with the 200m, winning in a time of 25.18s (-0.4). He finished well ahead of Muhammed Nura who ran 25.95s and Ismail Hassan with his second medal of the day in 25.98s for Bronze.
In the Girls’ 400m race, Praise Ugwushita prevailed as she got in the driving seat early and just held on, driving home the win in a time of 61.04s! She finished ahead of God’smind Eteng who came through in 61.98s, while Hephzibah Okon was rewarded with a Bronze in 62.05s.
Ejiro Peter after taking Silver in the 100m, made a massive rebound in the Cadet Girls’ 200m final, establishing an early lead and holding her form to the finish to win GOLD in 26.53s! She finished ahead of Ella Udumubrai who ran 27.03s, and Karo Onisuru in 27.19s.
Benjamin Magaji went out hard in the first half of the Youth (U17) Boys’ 400m, but Michael Aniche waited patiently, his tactics eventually paying off as he reeled him in over the last few metres to win GOLD in a time of 50.58s. Magaji for all his efforts was rewarded with a Silver medal in a new Personal Best (PB) of 51.48s, while Emmanuel Obi was 3rd in 51.70s.
Relentless in his pursuit, Aniche chased down Kehinde Ojo to win his second GOLD in 23.49s (-0.8), just beating him on the line as he settled for 2nd in 23.51s. Benjamin Magaji ran 23.94s to round off the podium.
Team MVP’s Success Okoro absolutely dominated the Youth (U17) Girls’ 400m race, winning in a time of 57.33s! She led a 1-2 finish with Believe Oghenevwegba who came 2nd in 58.95s, while Angel Eteng settled for 3rd place in 59.73s.
There was no touching Gafar Badmus once he got into full swing of the Junior men’s 400m as he powered to victory in a time of 47.94s ahead of Victor Sampson in 48.89s and Edidiong Ime Udotong in 50.11s.
Badmus already held the MTN CHAMPS Record for the Junior category with his amazing 47.50s run at the Ibadan leg.
Adaeze Eze won her 11th GOLD medal across two seasons of the School Championships, clocking 25.44s (-0.5) to take the Youth Girls 200m. She had it tough as she had to claw back her way past Chiamaka Lucy Nwankwo who led for more than half of the race, eventually having to settle for Silver in 25.49s. Dorcas Ogundipe was 3rd in 26.28s.
The 200m Junior women’s race went to Faith Osamuyi who completed the double, clocking 24.05s (-0.5) ahead of an inspired Chigozie Rosemary Nwankwo who clocked 24.71s and Kate Odumoso in 25.04s.
Precious Nzeakor overpowered the Senior women’s field, running a PB of 23.48s (-1.7), defeating 100m champion Blessing Ogundiran who ran 24.86s and Janet Adesiyan in 24.90s.
Caleb John reversed positions with Tejiri Godwin in the Junior men’s 200m, clocking 21.91s (-0.3) to the latter’s 22.19s. Godwin had beaten him in the 100m.
Hope Okoro took the Senior men’s race in 21.74s (-0.1) from Anyadiegwu Kenechukwu who ran 21.99s and Olabode Toviho in 3rd with 22.41s.
In the Cadet Girls 4x100m, FPS Academy emerged winner in 52.96s, beating Team MVP who had to settle for 2nd in 53.03s. and Government Girls School in 53.21s.
Team MVP got redemption in the Boys’ race, winning by a huge margin in 50.08s! The quartet of Darius Odebiyi, Paul Olaoluwa, David Ekunwe and Best Okopor beat the Baptist Vocational team who was 2nd in 52.44s, while Police Secondary School was 3rd in 58.65s.
They also cleared the Youth category, with their Girls running 51.08s to beat Abua Government in 52.03s. The Boys in 45.70s, just managed to steer clear of Baptist Vocational who buoyed by their star athlete Michael Aniche, took Silver in 46.07s.
Akwa Ibom beat Team MVP A to take GOLD in the Junior women’s (U20) 4x100m, while the MVP B team beat MVP team A in 42.08s to the latter’s 42.57s in the men’s race.
Arena Academy dominated the Senior women’s 4x100m, clocking 46.66s, almost 10 seconds ahead of Nigerian Customs in 2nd with 55.25s.
D’Victors took the men’s race, clocking 41.60s ahead of Akwa Ibom in 42.08s and Golden Eagle in 42.54s.
The curtains came down on the Grand Final of Season 2 with the Mixed 4x400m which was won by Wesley Comprehensive in 3:31.18, a full five seconds ahead of Team MVP A who ran 3:36.57, and the B team in 3rd with 3:40.95.
