Multi-talented athlete, Aminat Alabi was one of the standout athletes on Day 1 of the Eko Athletics Grand Prix staged at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos on Wednesday, August 31.
The championship was organized by the Lagos State Sports Commission in a bid to provide a platform for competition for Track and Field clubs in the state, re-awaken interest in Athletics, and to discover athletes that can represent Lagos at national and international tournaments.
Some of the events competed in on the first day of the Eko Athletics Grand Prix were the men and women’s 200m, Shot put, 100m Hurdles, 110 Hurdles, and the heats of the 400m.
Alabi (2:14.13) inspired a 1-2 for Osheku Striders in the women’s 800m final as teammate Maria Diamond followed in 2nd place with 2:14.96. Efe Agofure was 3rd in 2:19.61, and Olamide Oluwaseun 4th after clocking 2:24.27.
About an hour later, Alabi stormed to victory in the women’s 400m Heat 2 where she clocked 55.79s to finish ahead of Charity Adegoke (55.84s) and Blessing Obarierhu (59.35s).
Thursday’s final is expected to be a two-horse race between Alabi and Feyisara Edun who posted 58.98s to win Heat 1, with Ruby Lawani (59.85s) and Rhoda Obamuwagun (62.49s) following.
Meanwhile Folarin Jare and Cecilia Francis emerged winners in the men and women’s 200m final respectively.
Even though he was drawn in the ‘B’ Final of the men’s event, Jare raced to the fastest time overall to win the event, clocking 22.07s, while Funmilola Badewa (22.13s) and Baniyo Obute (22.55s) who finished 2nd and 3rd respectively in the ‘B’ Final, ran faster than Sani Mohammed (22.82s) who won the ‘A’ Final.
Francis of Osheku Striders, raced to the women’s title in a time of 24.65s, finishing ahead of Eagle Sight’s duo of Charity Adegoke (25.35s) and Blessing Ogundiran (25.36s). Anita Taviore (25.37s) and Akhigbe Track Club’s Moyosore Badejo (26.13s) placed 4th and 5th in the race.
Rilwan Olowu (51.64s), Olaoluwa Obasola (53.19s), Atanda Akindele (50.16s) and Sodiq Adebisi (50.83s) won their respective heats in the men’s 400m.
Saka Sanusi returned a time of 1:53.85 to win the men’s 800m final ahead of Daniel Agboola (1:54.72) and Adebisi Sodiq (1:55.90). An excited Sanusi was seen replicating Mo Farah’s signature Mobot pose as he crossed the finishing line.
He said: “I am very happy to have won the 800m in 1.53s because it is a new Personal Best (PB) for me. My former mark was 1.56s. I consider Mo Farah my mentor, which was why I imitated his pose. I also run the 1500m and 5000m and I hope to win both races tomorrow (Thursday).
Victoria Adubi raced to victory in the 100m Hurdles in 15.15s, while Sekinat Alawode (15.70s) and Vivian Akuna (15.89s) placed 2nd and 3rd.
In the 110m Hurdles, Williams Airen (16.34s), Christian Martins (16.38s) and Olumide Adams (17.14s) were the Top 3 finishers.
Isaac Odugbesan was the man to beat in the Shot put, taking the top position with a distance of 15.02m. Uzodinma Egbeogu and Oghenefejiro Odometa placed 2nd and 3rd respectively. Uju Anoliefo won the women’s category with a throw of 13.94m.
The events that will take place on Day 2 of the competition are the men and women’s 100m, 400m final, 1500m, 5000m, Long Jump, 4x100m and 4x400m relays.
