Tunde Eludini
Blessing Okagbare won her fifth successive Nigerian women’s 100m title in 11.25 seconds on Wednesday at the ongoing All-Nigeria Athletics Championships in Calabar.
Okagbare who held the pre-championship best in the 100m (11.00), 200m (22.31) effortlessly exerted her dominance in yesterday’s final race inside the UJ Esuene Satdium in Calabar, becoming the first woman in modern times to win the 100m event five times in a row.
Gloria Asunmu came second in a time of 11.47 seconds while home girl Peace Ukoh Alphonsus finished third with a time of 11.67 seconds.
Aside for the fight for monies on offer, making qualification times that would earn athletes a slot in Team Nigeria contingent to the World Championships in Moscow has brought about keen competition in the 3-day event in Calabar.
Okoro Patience of Edo State won the javelin women’s final with a distance of 41.87m ahead of Priscilla Zever (Benue) who achieved a throw of 40.96m while Enimuo Chioma Vivian of Anambra State was third with 37.01m.
Kefas Williams of the Nigeria Police won the men’s 10,000m race with 31:19.96. Ismail Sadjo (31:21.20) and Goyet Gideon (31: 21.48) finished second and third respectively.
In the triple jump women, Guest competitor, Sarah Nambawa of Uganda jumped 13.88m to win gold ahead of Nigeria’s Blessing Ibukun (13.57m) and Mary Otoaruoh of Mountaineer AC (12.68m).
The three-day flagship event for the AFN will conclude on Friday.
