Nigeria, Kenyan athletes set the pace at African Junior Championship in Zambia
Tima Godbless did not disappoint in the 100m Women U20 event, as she silenced other competitors
Team Nigeria has made a giant stride in the city of Ndola, Zambia, the venue of the ongoing 2023 African U-18 and U-20 Athletics Championships, winning a total of 12 medals on Day 2 of the competition.
Nigerian athletes have won five Gold, three Silver and four Bronze medals to take their medal haul to seven Gold, five Silver and five Bronze.
It was the highest number of medals recorded by a particular country in one day in the history of the championship.
The duo of Joma Oghenefejiro Praise and Oshiokpu Grace grabbed two gold medals for Team Nigeria on Day One of the competitions on Saturday in the U18 and U20 triple jump events.
Two more medals, silver and bronze, also came from the boys in the high jump event.
However, the athletes set the entire city on fire on Day Two on Sunday night, capturing medals in all the events they participated in.
Ogazi Samuel won gold in the 400m Boys U18, just as Okwose Faith overpowered all oppositions to win Nigeria’s forth gold of the tournament in the 100m Girls U18.
Tima Godbless did not disappoint in the 100m Women U20 event, as she silenced other competitors, while Ajayi Koyinsola also triumphed in the 100m Men U20, where he grabbed the gold medal. Opeyemi Oke also raced to a gold in the 400m U20.
Nigerian silver medallist on Day 2 of the competition were Ewa Peace In the High Jump U18, Tiana Justina
(100m Girls U18) and Onyah Favour in the 400m Girls U18.
The country’s bronze medallists on Sunday night were Rukewe Godsgift (Long jump Boys U18), Ada Bright in the 400m Girl U20, Kingsley Nnorji in the 100m Men U20 and Rejoice Sule in the 100m Women U20.
A total of 42 athletes are flying the nation’s flag at the combined fourth African U-18 Championships and the 15th African U-20 Championships.
Kenyans are also winning medals. Edmund Serem and Evans Kipkosgei staged a 1-2 feat in the boys under-18 2,000m steeplechase final, clocking 4:37.78 and 4:38.63 to lock out Mengistu Obsa Feyisa of Ethiopia in 4:39.10.
Samuel Toili settled for silver in boys’ under-18 400m in 46.18, losing to Nigerian Samuel Uchenna in 46.01 as South Africa’s Leendert Koekemoer took silver in 46.31.
World cross country under-20 bronze medallist Pamela Kosgei Monday enriched Kenya’s medal haul with victory in the women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase.
Kosgei was declared the winner after two Ethiopian athletes, who had secured gold and silver, were disqualified for age cheating. Kosgei’s victory brought Kenya’s tally in the two categories to 14 medals; six gold, four silver and four bronze.
They have three gold, two silver and two bronze medals in under-20 and three gold, two silver and two bronze medals in under-18.
Besides Kosgei, world cross country under-20 silver medalist Reynold Kipkorir added the continental under-1,500m title to his world under-20 1,500m crown, clocking three minutes and 33.65 seconds.
Kipkorir edged out Ethiopia’s Ashenafi Emana Gadisa to second place in 3:36.98 as compatriot Gilbert Kipngetich went for bronze in 3:37.40.
Dennis Mutuku orchestrated Kenya’s sweep of all the podium places in men’s under-20 10,000m, romping home in 30:00.10.
Amos Kipkurui followed Mutuku in 30:01.20 as national cross country under-20 champion Samuel Kibathi, who is also the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country Championships under-20 winner, settled for bronze in 30:01.50.
Regional junior champion Irene Jepkemboi handed Kenya silver in women’s under-20 javelin throw with her distance of 47.28 metres, losing the battle to Tanzanian’s Mwanaamina Mkwayu, who won in 47.28m.
South Africa’s Merinda Cronje managed 40.10m to claim bronze. Regional 100m champion Isaac Omurwa wasn’t so lucky this time around as he finished a distant seventh in men’s under-20 100m in 10.71.
Omurwa is Commonwealth Games 100m champion Ferdinand Omanyala's younger brother. The 2021 World Athletics Under-20 4x400 metres bronze medallist Elkana Chemelil finished sixth in the men's under-20 400m final in 46.63.
Busang Collen Kebinatshipi from Botswana timed 44.91 to win the race, beating Zambia’s Thomson Mbewe to second place in 46.08 as Seshoka Kagoalso of Botswana went for bronze in 46.23.
Kenya’s women weren't so lucky in the under-20 1,500m final with Peninah Mutisya (4:42.93) and Deborah Chemutai (4:45.61 finishing fifth and sixth respectively. Ethiopia’s Wubrist Aschal Kassie won the race in 4:37.78.
In under-18, Kenya’s Nancy Cherop and Josphat Kipkirui handed Kenya victories in girls’ and boys’ under-18 1,500m finals.
Cherop easily won the girls under-1,500m crown in 4:10.73 as compatriot Janet Chepkemoi went for bronze in 4:27.00. Ethiopia’s Aselef Amare came in between to ruin the party at 4:20.50.
Kipkirui clocked 3:40.00 to win as Djibouti’s Samtieh Moktar Idriss edged out Kenya’s Brian Muange to silver medal in photo-finish with each returning 3:50.00.
Edmund Serem and Evans Kipkosgei staged a 1-2 feat in the boys under-18 2,000m steeplechase final, clocking 4:37.78 and 4:38.63 to lock out Mengistu Obsa Feyisa of Ethiopia in 4:39.10.
Samuel Toili settled for silver in boys’ under-18 400m in 46.18, losing to Nigerian Samuel Uchenna in 46.01 as South Africa’s Leendert Koekemoer took silver in 46.31.
