By Flinster Austin
Published on 2024-03-21 03:08:56
Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan emerged as a shining star at the 13th African Games in Ghana, showcasing her exceptional talent and determination on the track. As the world record holder in the 100m hurdles, Amusan did not disappoint as she secured two gold medals for Team Nigeria, adding to their overall medal count.
In the 100m hurdles event, Amusan successfully defended her title and took home the gold medal. Known as “Tobi Express,” she then went on to anchor Nigeria’s 4x100m relay team, leading them to victory with a time of 43.05 seconds, leaving Liberia and Ghana trailing behind. The men’s 4x100m relay team also secured a gold medal for Nigeria, further highlighting the country’s dominance in sprint events.
Prior to the relay events, Amusan had already made history by winning the women’s 100m hurdles, becoming the first African woman to achieve a hat-trick at the African Games. Despite a slightly slower time of 12.89 seconds compared to her Games record of 12.68 seconds set in Rabat 2019, Amusan’s performance was exceptional and solidified her status as a track and field icon.
One of the standout performances of the day came from Chidi Okezie in the men’s 400m race. Determined to improve on his previous bronze medal finishes at African Championships and the African Games in 2019, Okezie delivered a stunning performance, overtaking race favorites from Zambia and Senegal in the final curve. He crossed the finish line in a personal best time of 45.06 seconds, marking Nigeria’s fastest time in recent years and securing the gold medal.
While Okezie’s victory was a highlight of the day, there were also moments of disappointment for Nigeria. Duben Nwachukwu, another Nigerian runner in the men’s 400m race, had a difficult race and finished at the rear with a time of 47.13 seconds. In the women’s 400m race, Nigerian athlete Esther Elo Joseph was unable to hold off defending champion Mary Moraa of Kenya in the final stretch, settling for a silver medal with a time of 51.61 seconds.
Despite the ups and downs of the day, Team Nigeria’s overall performance at the African Games was impressive, with athletes like Tobi Amusan and Chidi Okezie showcasing their talent and determination on the track. As Africa’s best track and field star, Amusan’s double gold medal win and Okezie’s remarkable victory in the men’s 400m race added to Nigeria’s success at the Games, solidifying their reputation as a powerhouse in athletics on the continent.
