It was an energetic first day of competition at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta, Ogun State, as the 3rd Combined African U18/U20 Athletics Championships took off on a high note.
Burkina Faso won the first GOLD medal of the Championships as Zongo Zalissa won the U18 Girls Triple Jump in 12.79m ahead of Morocco’s Merzaq Kawtar (12.61m) and Tunisia’s Chniba Feriel (12.16m).
South Africa retained their High Jump crown as Mateo Le Roux was the only jumper over 2.06m in the U18 Boys High Jump event, which helped secure the title. Nigeria won its first medal at this event, with Praise Ikweki taking the Bronze medal.
In the sprint events, Team Nigeria’s women dominated by posting the fastest times across both categories. In the U18 division, Miracle Ezechukwu led with a time of 11.79s ahead of South Africa’s Oluchi Ndubueze (11.93s) and Chigozie Rosemary Nwankwo (11.99s) in the 100m.
In the 400m, Chioma Nwachukwu clocked 53.97s well ahead of her compatriot Hafsoh Majekodunmi (56.17s) to secure a 1-2 for Nigeria in their heat.
In the U20 category of the 100m, Chioma Nweke took charge with a time of 11.70s as her teammates Lucy Nwankwo and Success Oyibu followed through in 11.80s and 11.87s.
Over at the 400m, Toheebat Jimoh topped the standings with a Personal Best (PB) of 53.77s ahead of Favour Onyah who won her heat in 54.04s.
Nigeria’s Gafar Badmus was in a league of his own as he sailed through to the only sub-46 in the men’s U20 400m heats, stopping the clock at 45.82s. His compatriot, Ezekiel Asuquo won his heat in an easy peasy 47.16s. Botswana’s Oratile Justice won the final heat in 46.44s.
Tettey Philips of Ghana ran the quickest time overall, returning a time of 48.55s in the U18 category.
South Africa’s Jayden Fourie boasted of the fastest time in the U18 100m boys with a solid 10.65s over Nigeria’s Destiny Egbon (10.85s) and Botswana’s Nyaladzi Tshepo (10.87s).
Kenya’s Clinton Owatinya led the men’s U20 category in 10.37s ahead of Zimbabwe’s Trey Chimunya (10.49s) and Nigeria’s John Caleb (10.49s).
