Team Nigeria swept three of the four available GOLD medals available for grabs in the 100m on Day 2 of the African U-18/U-20 Championships in Ndola, Zambia.
First up was Faith Okwose in the women’s U-18 final where she powered to the finish in a time of 11.53s, running into a 1.4m/s headwind. By so doing, she led a Nigerian 1-2 finish and got a rebound over her compatriot Justina Tiana Eyakpobeyan who was just edged out for 2nd place in 11.55s while South Africa’s Reabaka Matshitse claimed 3rd in 11.77s.
About sixteen (16) minutes after, Nigerian U-20 Record holder in the 100m Tima Godbless despite arriving late in Ndola, shook off the setback in her travelling plans and struck GOLD in the women’s U-20 category with a time of 11.45s (-0.4) – her first official race of the season. She led a 1-3 finish for Nigeria, as Rejoice Adijatu Sule won the Bronze in a time of 11.77s.
Kanyinsola Ajayi’s win in the men’s 100m was the icing on the cake. He clocked a time of 10.51s (-1.4) to win a third GOLD medal in the 100m while his teammate Kingsley Unorji was 4th in 10.63s. Israel Okon got the highest placement in the U-18 men’s 100m, just missing out on a medal in 10.61s for 4th.
In the U-18 category of the men’s 400m, Samuel Ogazi warded off stiff competition and the setting in of lactic to win in a big Personal Best (PB) of 46.01s. He beat Kenya’s Samuel Toili who came 2nd in 46.18s while Leendert Koekemort finished 3rd in 46.31s.
Onyinye Favour Onyah won the Silver medal in the women’s equivalent in 54.05s (PB), a race won by South African Colene Scheepers in 53.78s.
Meanwhile, Opeyemi Deborah Oke ran away with the win in the U-20 women’s 400m, powering to a PB of 52.67s, bettering her previous marker by almost a second! Ada Princess Bright came 3rd with a time of 54.05s.
Ewa Peace won Silver in the U-18 Girls High Jump with a 1.69m clearance while Rukevwe Godsgift Nwagbogwu jumped 6.97m (1.1) for Bronze in the Long Jump, bringing the country’s medal tally on Day two to eleven!
