Amusan
By Ben Efe
Nigeria bagged two gold medals Thursday on the day two of the African Athletics Championships on a day South Africa and Cote d’ Ivoire athletes expectedly dominated the men and women 100m.
Hurdler, Tobi Amusan lived up to expectations and dusted the field in an exciting fashion coasting home to a time of 12.86seconds to win the gold. She couldn’t match her 12.68 seconds season best she posted to win the gold at the Commonwealth Games gold back in April in Gold Coast, Australia.
Riekennete Steenkamp of South Africa picked the silver at 13.18 seconds, while Rosvitha Okou of Cote d’Ivoire settled for bronze at 13.39 seconds. Nigeria’s Grace Aiyemoba placed fourth with 13.68, while Efe Favour was sixth with 14.18 seconds.
Shortly afterwards , Chukwuebuka Enekwechi crowned himself the shot put supremo, with a heave of 20.38m to win the gold. Egypt’s Mohammed Kaily managed 19.33m and Kyle Blignaut completed the podium position, with 19.05m.
In the women’s hammer throw, Nigeria’s Temilola Ogunrinde was denied gold by Morocco’s Zakour Soukaina with a throw of 68.28m Ogunride threw 66.57m
And when the top event of the day showcased, there wasn’t much for Nigerians to cheer as Cote d’Ivoire’s Marie Josee Ta Lou blew away the field in the women’s 100m. The world leading woman was practically competing with herself as she breezed home unchallenged to an 11.15 seconds run. Janet Amponsah of Ghana took the silver at 11.54 while Nigeria’s up and coming sprinter Joy Udo Gabriel came third with 11.58 seconds.
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