By Ben Efe

Nigeria’s medal haul increased at the New Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, after Ajoke Odumosu easily won the women 400m hurdles here.

Running in lane four, the African champion from Nairobi 2010 confirmed her rating as favourite in the event as she won the gold returning a comfortable time of 55.28. Odumosu  ran a planned race, which she carefully executed and she had no problem with her finishing, when she pulled away from the crowd at the last curve.

“It was my gold and I had to keep my head and run my race. I’m quite happy for the medal,” said the athlete.

UP NIGERIA . . . Muizat Odumosu of Nigeria celebrates after the women's 400m hurdles final of Track and Field competition of the XIX Commonwealth Games Sunday in New Delhi. Odumosu won the women's 400m hurdles gold medal in a time of 55.28 seconds, Scotland's Eilidh Child came second (55.62) and Jamaica's Nickiesha Boden was third (56.06).Photo: AFP

But it was not sweet tales for Comfort Onyali in the women long jump. She was a top contender for the gold, but at the end, she collapsed in a heap of misery.

With her 6.56m silver effort at the African championships, she was expected to win the gold, but amazingly Onyali was shown the way out after she registered three consecutive false jumps. She broke down and cried and was inconsolable.

“It is tragic we missed the long jump gold. I don’t know how she missed her jumps, even if she had not put her foot on the board, she could have won a medal,” said chief coach of the Nigeria team, Tobias Igwe.