Reigning Commonwealth and African Champion, Oluwatobiloba Amusan won two Gold Medals for Nigeria in the 100-meter hurdles and the Women’s 4X100metres Relay Final at the ongoing 2023 African Games in Ghana.
On Wednesday night, the Nigerian Contingent won Five Gold Medals on Day 3 of Athletics at the University of Ghana Sports Complex. Amusan had earlier survived disqualification due to a false start, The 26-year-old won the race ahead of Madagascar’s Fiadanantsoa Sidonie in second while Zimbabwe athlete, Tinashe Kamangirira won bronze. Faith Osamuyi, another Nigerian in the hurdles final missed out on a podium finish as she finished fourth.
Chidi Okezie won his first Gold Medal for Nigeria as he won the Men’s 400 meters with a personal best of 45.06 seconds, the fastest time by a Nigerian athlete in nine years. Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga finished second with 45.37seconds while Senegal’s Diouf Cheick Tidiane won the Bronze Medal in 45.49seconds. In the women’s 400m final, Esther Joseph lost the Gold Medal to the World 800-meter Champion, Mary Moraa of Kenya as she ran a new personal best of 51.61seconds to claim silver.
A few minutes after winning the 100-meter hurdles, Amusan joined the women’s 4x100m relay team and anchored them to a gold medal finish. The Quartet line-up was led by Justina Eyakpobeyan to Olayinka Olajide and Fore Abinusawa to Amusan as they won in a time of 43.05seconds ahead of Liberia 44.02 second and hosts, Ghana in 44.21seconds.
Nigeria also won the Men’s 4×100 meters Gold ahead of Ghana in second and Liberia in third. The quartet of Sunday Okon, Consider Ekanem, Alaba Akintola and Usheoritshe Itsekiri held on to finish first against their rivals and hosts, Ghana in a time of 38.41 seconds. The Ghanaians were close with a time of 38.43 seconds while Liberia set a new national record of 38.73s. African Games Silver Medalist, Kemi Francis also Won a Gold Medal for Nigeria in the Women’s 200m heptathlon with 911 points.
