Africa Games: Nigeria top in athletics, win gold in 4x400m

Nigeria emerged the overall winner in Athletics event at the 2019 Africa Games with a total of 23 medals (10 gold, 7 silver and 6 bronze) after winning gold in Women’s 4x400m, Women’s Shot Put; silver in Men’s 200m on the final day of the Track and Field event on Friday.

Sportinglife.ng reports that Kenya came second with 10 gold, 7 silver and 3 bronzem while Ethiopia came 3rd with 5gold, 5 silver and 8 bronze medals.

Team Nigeria quartet of Kemi Francis, Patience Okon-George, Blessing Oladoye and Favour Ofili ran the race of their lives to win gold in the Women’s 4x400m final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex.

The Nigerian ladies ran 3:30.32 to finish ahead of Botswana (3:31.96) and Uganda (3:32.25).

Sade Olatoye increased the country’s medals haul by winning gold in the Women’s Shot Put event.

Olatoye, who also won bronze in the Hammer Throw, threw a distance of 16.61m to secure her win. South Africa’s Senekal Ischke came second with a throw of 16.18m, while South Africa’s      Strydom Meike won the bronze with 14.64m.

The quartet of Shedrack Akpeki, Nathaniel Samson, Ifeanyi Ojeli and Chidi Okezie ran a SB of 3:03.42 to win the 4x400m bronze medal. Botswana won the race in a time of 3:02.55m while South Africa went home with the silver medal after finishing with a time of 3:03.18.

It was an upset for pre-Championship favourite in the Men’s 200m, Divine Oduduru as he could only finish in second position with his 22.35s run. Zambia’s Sydney Siame emerged the African Games Champion after finishing in a time of 20.35. South Africa’s   Jobodwana Anaso won the bronze with 20.56 in a race that saw Nigeria’s Ogho-oghene Egwero finishing 6th in 21.00.

Team Nigeria also won bronze in the Women’s 400mH Final Abasiamo Akpan ran a time of 57.66s to place third.

Nnamdi Chinecherem also picked up a bronze medal in the Javelin Throw, with a distance of 73.24m.