Despite the harsh conditions and glitches that threatened to stop the 4th Golden League, the home-based athletes were able to surmount the obstacles, with the likes of Jerry Jakpa, Nazifi Aminu and Ifunanya Muoghalu setting the fastest times to qualify for the finals of their respective events while competing at the Delta State Polytechnic Sports Complex, Ozoro.
Jakpa was the most impressive of the lot as the Making of Champions’ (MoC) athlete made the men’s 200m race a cake walk, gliding past the rest of the field to win his heat in a time 21.55s. ThankGod Igube was also as majestic, winning Heat 5 in a time of 21.82s.
Other winners in the men’s 200m heats were Samuel Osadolor (22.18s), Peter Moreno (22.94s), Chibuike Egbochinam (22.20s) and Jare Folarin (21.96s). The four fastest times from today’s heats will square up against the winners from the previous Golden League on Day 2 of the competition.
Like the men’s 200m, the women’s category will see the final take center stage on the final day, as Margret Bolufawi ran the fastest time across all heats. The Customs athlete clocked a time of 24.50s to win Heat 3, beating Marvelous Asemota in the process.
MoC’s Moyosore Badejo won Heat 2 in 24.74s, while Nwokocha Nzubechi emerged victorious in Heat 1, as she clocked a time of 24.58s.
Nazifi was in a class of his own in the men’s 400m Heat 1, as he claimed victory in a time of 48.07s. The time, which was the fastest overall, sees him qualify to the final.
Also, MoC’s Emmanuel Ojeli (48.24s) and Oluwabunmi Lateef (49.72s) won their respective heats, while Gbakaro Nnabugwu shrugged off competition from Segun Akhigbe to win the last heat of the one-lap race.
Ifunanya Muoghalu was the woman to beat in Heat 1 of the women’s 400m race as she sped to victory in 55.53s. Blessing Ovwighoadjebre won the other heat in 55.83s. They both qualified for the final.
Surprisingly, the men’s 100m race, which is not a Golden League event, witnessed the highest number of athletes competing, as they were divided into seven heats.
Usheoritse Itsekiri saved the best for the last as he ran the fastest time on the day. He clocked a time of 10.56s to win Heat 7.
In the previous heat, Olisakwe Chukwudi and Obinna Metu were engaged in a battle for supremacy, but it was the former who took victory in 10.59s. ThankGod Igube (10.63s), Harry Chukwudike (10.79s), Samuel Osadolor (10.89s), Hanson Dinabasi (11.03s) and Idjesa Uremu (10.82s) were winners of their respective heats.
Similar to the men’s 100m, there will not be any contest in the final of the women’s race. Praise Idamadudu (11.71s), Marvelous Asemota (11.90s) and Grace Ayemoba (11.94s) all won their various heats.
Henry Okorie proved his class once again in the men’s 400m Hurdles has he won in a time of 53.64s.
In the middle-distance races, Ogunseye Adegoke (1:55.62s) and Hauwa Haruna (2:09.55) were the winners of the men and women’s 800m race, while Isa Ahmed won the men’s 1500m race in 4:24.07s.
On the field, Loretta Obelue emerged victorious in the women’s Discus throw final, winning with a throw of 34.54m.
