After not making the final at last year’s edition of the National Sports Festival (NSF), Nicholas Adekalu Fakorede bounced back into national reckoning at the 2022 NSF in Asaba by storming to victory in the men’s 100m, upstaging his opponents to win the title in a new Personal Best of 10.25s, improving on his former PB by a hundredth of a second.
Sunday Akintan was 2nd in 10.32s while Nicholas Mabilo settled for 3rd in 10.34s.
Tima Godbless outclassed the women’s field to upgrade her Bronze medal from last year to GOLD, winnng the 100m title in a time of 11.32s for Bayelsa State. Delta state got the Silver and Bronze medals respectively, courtesy of Faith Okpo and Praise Ofoku.
Another final that took place on Day 2 of Athletics was the 400m Hurdles. Prior Ochonogor (Edo State) had an NSF to remember, storming to a GOLD medal by clocking a new PB of 51.34s. Sodiq Adebisi did enough to get into 2nd place in 53.12s.
In the women’s race, Abasiono Akpan (Akwa Ibom) raced to her second consecutive title after going past Sarah Ochigbo (Delta) and Glory Nathaniel (Delta), winning the women’s 400m Hurdles title in a time of 56.83s. Ochigbo came in 2nd in 57.56s and Nathaniel 3rd in 60.35s.
Queen Usunobun was the fastest qualifier in the women’s 400m semis, winning Heat 2 in a time of 53.44s as Patience Okon-George dominated Heat 1 in 53.67s. Josephine Oloye won Heat 3 in 54.12s.
