Team Nigeria’s quartet of Nnamani Johnson, Nse Imaobong, Opeyemi Oke, and Bamidele Ajayi won GOLD in the mixed 4x400m final with the fastest time in history, clocking 3:19.70 in the penultimate event on Day 1 of the World U20 Championships taking place in Nairobi, Kenya.
It is the first GOLD for Nigeria at the World U20 Champs since 2008 and the first-ever Mixed 4x400m medal at the championships.
Nigeria’s Godson Brume made light work of his 100m semis in the evening after he clocked 10.22 to claim victory and qualify for the final slated for Thursday.
His compatriot, Favour Ashe couldn’t make it past his heats after he stumbled off the blocks, and when he tried to motor midway in the race, he couldn’t get into his strides as he looked to be struggling with some pain, just about finishing 7th in heat 2 of men’s 100m.
Praise Ofoku held her nerve to scale through her heats and semis, qualifying from the final in 11.57s. Her teammate, Tima Godbless couldn’t get into the final after narrowly missing out on one of the non-automatic qualifying spots with her 11.61s
In the women’s 400m heats, Nse Imaobong lived up to her favourite billing as he broke no sweat to win Heat 3 of her race in 52.33s, a time that was the fastest amongst all the three heats. Nigeria’s other entry in the women’s 400m, Opeyemi Oke, was visibly exhausted as she competed in heat 1, finishing 6th in 57.30s.
Dubem Amene, who is competing for Nigeria for the first time ran in the men’s 400m Heats. Born in the United States to Nigerian immigrants, Amene ran well until the last bend of men’s 400m heat 2 but lost some ground to finish 5th with a time of 47.50s.
Shortly after running in the mixed 4x400m heats, Bamidele Ajayi laced his spikes in the individual race, and although he was way behind for over 300m in heat 3 of men’s 400m, he still tried hard to finish 4th in the race, crossing in a time of 47.44s.
Infield, Chinecherem Nnamdi qualified as the best athlete in the men’s Javelin after he threw a mark of 78.02m, a new National U20 Record.
