With just one month before the World Indoor Athletics Championships, Nigerian athletes across the globe were in action as some continued their hunt in attaining qualification for the World Indoors, with the window set to close on the 18th of February, while others are gearing towards the Olympics.
At the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, World Record Holder Tobi Amusan broke her own African Record (AR) in the women’s 60m Hurdles, which she set eight days prior in Astana, running a scorching 7.75s to settle for 2nd behind Tia Jones who broke the Meeting Record (MR) in 7.72s. Devynne Charlton was 3rd in 7.76s.
200m African Indoor Record Holder Favour Ofili added the 300m Record to her resumé as she shattered the women’s 300m 14-year-old African Record of 36.33s formerly held by Amantle Montsho since 2010. The Nigerian clocked a Personal Best (PB) of 35.99s to place 2nd behind Gabby Thomas who won in 35.75s.
Usheoritse Itsekiri won the men’s 60m final at the Jim Daly Bisons Classic in Winnipeg, clocking a Season’s Best (SB) of 6.62s ahead of Jordan Soufi in 6.75s and Evan Essapa in 6.88s.
Two-time Commonwealth Games Champion Ese Brume finished 3rd with a leap of 6.58m, followed by compatriot, Ruth Usoro who responded with a 6.46m jump to take 4th postion. Tara Davis-Woodhall won the women’s Long Jump competition in a World Lead (WL) of 6.86m.
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi was in action at the Meeting Miramas in France where he competed in the men’s Shot Put, finishing 3rd with a mark of 20.74m behind Lincoln Scott who won with a 21.01m throw and Rajindra Campbell’s 20.81m.
Alabama’s debutant, Samuel Ogazi clocked a PB time of 46.30s to win Heat 2 of the men’s 400m at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic, his first ever indoor race, ahead of Willington Wright who ran 46.37s.
Competing at the same meet, LSU’s duo of Ella Onojuvwevwo and Tima Godbless both won their respective 200m heats. The former ran a PB of 23.51s while the latter won her race in a PB of 23.78s.
Temitope Adeshina went over a comfortable 1.90m to win the women’s High Jump at the KSU DeLoss Dodds Invitational in Manhattan, above Sharie Enoe who managed a clearance of 1.85m. She attempted the Olympic Qualification mark of 1.97m but all to no avail.
Best Erhire won the men’s equivalent with a solid Season’s Best (SB) of 2.20m to win the men’s High Jump ahead of Devon Richardson and Kennedy Sauder who both scaled 2.15m.
At the same competition, Success Umukoro bettered her 60m PB by posting a time of 7.28s to finish 3rd. Teammate Alyssa Colbert won in also a PB of 7.17s from Alicia Burnett in 7.21s. She returned to the track to win the women’s 200m in 23.42s.
The Baylor University pair of Ezekiel Nathaniel and Imaobong Nse Uko competed at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invite over the 400m.
Nathaniel finished in 3rd place with 47.03s while Uko won hers in 53.93s, Season’s Bests for both athletes.
Elsewhere, Adaobi Tabugbo competed at the Crimson Elite meet in Harvard where she clocked an equal PB of 8.20s to finish 3rd behind Rayniah Jones, her teammate who won in 8.05s.
Still on the hurdles, Miracle Thompson participated at the Charlie Thomas Invitational in Texas where she registered a time of 8.27s to finish 2nd in the women’s 60m Hurdles race. Yanla Ndjip-Nyemeck won the race in 8.19s.
Utitofon Sam threw a new PB of 20.32m in the women’s weight throw.
