Team Nigeria delivered an outstanding performance on the track as athletics events concluded at the 4th African Youth Games in Angola on Saturday, finishing with an impressive haul of 11 medals.
The Nigerian contingent secured a total of six gold and five silver medals, underlining the country’s talented pipeline in youth athletics.
In the sprints, Nigeria made a strong statement in the 100 metres. Rosemary Chigozie Nwakwo powered to gold in the girls’ race, clocking 11.77 seconds to top the podium. She finished ahead of South Africa’s Oluchi Ndubueze, who claimed silver in 12.12 seconds, while Morocco’s Maria Saadi took bronze in 12.27 seconds.
In the boys’ 100 metres, Emmanuel Akolo earned silver for Nigeria with a time of 10.76 seconds, finishing behind South Africa’s Micah Africa, who won gold in 10.67 seconds.
The quarter-mile events also brought further success for Team Nigeria. Hafsoh Bisola Majekodunmi claimed gold in the girls’ 400 metres, producing a commanding performance to win in 55.16 seconds, ahead of Ethiopia’s Desta Kurni and Congo’s Maguerita Athouaby.
In the boys’ 400 metres, David Udoh ran an impressive race to secure silver with a time of 47.77 seconds, finishing just behind South Africa’s Fairlie Jaydon.
In the field events, Timothy continued Nigeria’s golden run by winning the gold medal in the triple jump. In the boys’ long jump, Godswill Anelechi Nkemakolam added to the medal tally with a silver medal, recording a best leap of 7.18 metres to finish behind South Africa’s Jayden Fourie.
Nigeria also picked up medals in the hurdles and half-lap sprints. Gift Gowon won silver in the 400 metres hurdles, while Tejiri Ugoh struck gold in the girls’ 200 metres, crossing the line in 23.95 seconds ahead of South Africa’s Isabella Gunter and Gambia’s Njie Adama.
In the boys’ 200 metres, Perfect Faye continued his impressive form on the continental stage, clocking a season’s best 21.47 seconds to claim silver for Team Nigeria.
The relay events capped off a memorable athletics campaign for the nation. The girls’ medley relay team of Miriam Jegede, Miracle Oluebube, Faith Ezechukwu and Jacinter Lawrence combined brilliantly to win gold. The boys’ medley relay team, made up of Gift Gowon, Emmanuel Akolo, David Udoh and Tosin Solomon Essan, also delivered a superb performance to secure gold.
