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Team Nigeria are not giving up on emerging overall winner of the ongoing 12th All Africa Games as more medals are being won.
As at the time of writing this report, Nigeria has moved to third position with 23 gold, 20 silver, 20 bronze medals, making a total of 64 medals.
In the women’s 100m Hurdles, Tobi Amusan retained her title as Africa’s best setting a new record of 12.68s (-0.6) to win gold which confining to the history books, Glory Alozie’s African Games Record of 12.74s which she ran 20yrs ago in Johannesburg.
In the men’s 400m final, Nigeria’s Chidi Okezie was unable to win gold but ensured he won bronze, running a new Personal Best of 45.61s. Compatriot Emma Ojeli finished 6th in 46.05s. He has now won an individual Bronze medal in every continental championship he’s represented the country.
Another title was retained in the women’s Javelin as Kelechi Nwanaga won with her very last attempt with a throw of 55.88m.
In the women’s 400m finals, Favour Ofili failed to win the ultimate prize but was certain to scoop silver crossing in a PB of 51.68s to qualify for 2019 World Champs.
It was a moment to savour after the quartet of Joy Udo-Gabriel, Mercy Ntia-Obong, Adekunle Jasper and Rosemary Chukwuma got round the baton to win the women’s 4x100m relay final, crossing the line in 44.16s.
However, the male quartet of Africa’s fastest man, Raymond Ekevwo, Divine Oduduru, Emmanuel Arowolo and Itsekitri Usheoritse got silver with an SB of 38.59s losing the gold medal to Ghana.
One of Nigeria’s traditional sports, weightlifting has continued to produce more medals in same manner at the beginning of the Games. Caroline Oko-Ukoha won three silver medals, with the first one coming from the 71kg with a lift of 211kg, then 95kg in the Snatch & 116kg in the Clean & Jerk.
Nigeria’s Javelin athlete, Kelechi Nwanaga in the middle during the medals presentation
Similarly, in a sheer bit of luck and determination, Javelin athlete, Kelechi Nwanaga won gold narrowly defeating South Africa’s Jo-ane Van Dyk.
Kelechi had led with a 3rd round attempt of 54.82m, but Van Dyk almost snatched the gold, throwing a 6th attempt of 55.38m. Nwanaga then threw 55.88m to win it.
In the Heptathlon 200m event, Kemi Francis ran a 24.21 to win the gold medal for the country.
Meanwhile, having helped Nigeria qualify for 4x100m final, Blessing Okagbare will not be running in the final today as she is off to Zurich to compete in the 200m DL final.
Okagbare, who has a Season’s Best (SB) of 22.05s from the Prefontaine Classic, would take on a huge field which could bolster her confidence in the women’s 200m at the Letzigrund Stadium when she lines up with Olympic 400m Champion, Shaunae Miller-Uibo and the Olympic 200m Champion, Elaine Thompson.
