The Nigerian team will be hoping for a medal today when the 2022 World U20 Atheletics Championship women 100m final takes place in Cali, Colombia.
At the last edition of the championship in Nairobi, Kenya, Nigeria’s U-20 track and field athletes set a new record in the country’s participation in the event, finishing third on the medals table with an unprecedented four gold and three bronze medals. The four gold medals won in Nairobi remain the highest Nigeria has ever achieved in any edition of the championships.
A team of 19 home-based athletes, two foreign-based and five coaches are in Cali, Colombia flying Nigeria’s flag.
In the women’s 100m event yesterday, Tima Godbless dusted her challengers, including those from Australia and Sweden to finish first in a time of 11.09 seconds. Austria’s Taylah Cruttenden was second in 11.58seconds, while Elvira Tanderud of Sweden was third in 11.69seconds.
The semifinals and final will hold today (Wednesday).
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AFN Technical Director, Samuel Onikeku as well as the Secretary-General, Adeniyi Beyioku celebrated Tima Godbless’s qualification yesterday.
“I am sure she will give Nigeria a medal in the final, though I don’t know the colour of the medal yet,” Onikeku told The Guardian in a telephone chat from Team Nigeria’s camp in Birmingham, venue of the ongoing Commonwealth Games in England.
Euohorial recalls that in Nairobi, Kenya, last year, Nigeria’s 4x400m mixed relay team began the unprecedented haul with its historic, championships record-setting performance (3:19.70 CR) on an opening day. It was followed by the gold medal by the fastest U-17 quarter-miler in the world, Imaobong Nse Uko, in the women’s 400m with a new 51.55 seconds personal best. The win made Uko the fourth Nigerian woman to win the event after Fatimah Yusuf (1990), Bisi Afolabi (1994) and Folashade Abugan (2008).
Another gold medal from United States-based speed star, Udodi Onwuzurike, gave Nigeria the third gold in the men’s 200m, where he also set a new 20.21seconds personal best.
The half-lap gold was Nigeria’s second since Francis Obikwelu won it in 1996 to complete his sprint double in Sydney, Australia.
Coaches in the trip to Cali are Ayodele Solaja, Isiaka Saka Oluyemi, Rachael Oguntona and John Micah.
It was not clear yesterday
old medal from United States-based speed star, Udodi Onwuzurike, gave Nigeria the third gold in the men’s 200m, where he also set a new 20.21seconds personal best.
The half-lap gold was Nigeria’s second since Francis Obikwelu won it in 1996 to complete his sprint double in Sydney, Australia.
Coaches in the trip to Cali are Ayodele Solaja, Isiaka Saka Oluyemi, Rachael Oguntona and John Micah.
It was not clear yesterday if AFN’s head coach, former sprinter, jumper and hurdler, Seigha Porbeni, was able to join the athletes, as his initial travel plan was aborted on Sunday night due to flight hitches.
