Nigeria concluded the 24th African Athletics Championships with 12 medals after the women’s 4x400m relay team delivered a commanding gold-medal performance on the final day of competition, The PUNCH reports.
The quartet of Esther Okon, Toheebat Jimoh, Jecinter Lawrence and Patience Okon-George successfully defended Nigeria’s title in the event, clocking 3:29.25 to finish comfortably ahead of Ethiopia and Kenya on Sunday.
Nigeria’s team dominated the race from start to finish and crossed the line nearly 30 metres ahead of their closest challengers to secure the country’s fourth gold medal of the championships.
The victory ensured Team Nigeria ended the competition with four gold, five silver and three bronze medals, placing fourth overall behind Kenya, South Africa and Ethiopia in the final standings.
Kenya topped the medal table with six gold, four silver and seven bronze medals for a total of 17, while South Africa won six gold, two silver and six bronze medals. Ethiopia finished third with five gold, four silver and six bronze medals.
Nigeria’s only other medal on the final day came through Rosemary Chukwuma, who won silver in the women’s 200m after running 23.60s.
The Nigerian sprinter finished behind Ivory Coast’s Maboundou Kone, who won gold in 23.36s, but Chukwuma still ended the championships with an impressive three-medal haul.
She had earlier won gold in the women’s 4x100m relay and silver in the 100m, making her one of Nigeria’s standout performers at the competition.
Nigeria’s medal-winning campaign was led by world record holder Tobi Amusan, who secured gold in the women’s 100m hurdles in 12.83s.
The mixed 4x400m relay team of Ezekiel Asuquo, Toheebat Jimoh, Victor Sampson and Patience Okon-George also won gold in 3:16.44, while the women’s 4x100m relay team of Rosemary Nwankwo, Jennifer Chukwuka, Rosemary Chukwuma and Miracle Ezechukwu added another gold in 42.94s.
In the silver medal events, Oyesade Olatoye threw 69.60m to finish second in the women’s hammer throw, same with Divine Oladipo, who also grabbed silver in the discus, while Nigeria’s men’s 4x100m relay team also secured silver in 38.70s.
Adaobi Tabugbo won bronze in the women’s 100m hurdles with a time of 13.26s, while Chidera Ezeakor added another bronze in the men’s 100m after clocking 10.318s with Obiageri Amaechi’s third-place finish on the opening day.
