.As Antwon Hicks sets new national record
BLESSING Okagbare on Thursday claimed her 7th All Nigeria
100m title as she won the Women’s 100m event with a time of 11.02secs in Day
One of action at the ongoing All-Nigeria Championships in Sapele, Delta State.
Okagbare, who was conspicuously missing during the
2015 All-Nigeria Championships in Warri
left no one in doubt that she was back to wrestle away her title from last
year’s winner Gloria Asumnu when she effortlessly won her semi final race with
a time of 11.22secs.
Friday’s feat by
Okagbare is her season's best and Queen of the tracks told journalists after
her victory that she will not rest on her oars as she expects tougher contest
in Rio.
“I am focused on myself, I am not thinking of what others
doing,” Okagbare stated.
Peace Ukoh came second 11.37sec while Gloria Asumnu
finished third 11.38secs in the women’s 100m race.
Aside Okagbare, another headline performance on the
opening day of the Nigeria Olympic trials came from Antwon Hicks who set a new
national record (subject to ratification by the AFN) in the 110m Men's Hurdles
event.
 |
| Antwon Hicks |
Hicks' winning time of 13.27 secs supersedes the previous
record in the 110m hurdles owned by Williams Erese who set a time 13.42secs in
the United States in 2003.
The winning time has also qualified the former American
runner for the Rio Olympics where he will be donning the colours of Nigeria in
Rio.
Speaking with journalists after his race, Hicks said he
felt very relieved to now have the Olympic standard after a couple of
unsuccessful attempts.
“All year, I have been beating it (the standard) but it
didn’t count because the results have been windy, this was one of my last races
to get it done and I am happy I have done just that and also set a new national
record. I am pretty sure this time will be among the top 20 times in the world at
the moment.”
On Friday, a keen contest is also expected in male's race
where Divine Oduduru and Egwero Ogho-Oghene already wet the appetite of fans
with their 10.23 wining times in their respective heats on Thursday.
Defending champion Seyi ogunelwe also won his heat but
with a slower time of 10.25secs.
In some of the other events on Thursday, Deborah Pam NSDC
won the 5,000 with 17.23.50, Olumidi Aderonke and Nuhu Elizabeth came 2nd and
3rd respectively with a time of 17.38.066 and 17.44.20 secs respectively.
 |
| Emmanuel Gyang & Deborah Pam won men & women's 5000m |
In the men’s version, Emmanuel Gyang won in a time of
14.52.75secs while the duo of Stephen Joshua and Solomon Yilbam came 2nd and
3rd respectively.
In the Women’s Discuss, Nwanneka Okwelogu finished tops
with her throw of 52.93M.
In the women’s 800m final, Ihekandu Philomena was first
with her time of 2.06.98secs while Lagos athlete Alabi Aminat was 2nd with a
time of 2.10.66secs and Linda Friday came third posting a time of 2.11.05 secs.
Hamadjan Soudi claimed the top spot in the men’s 800m
race; finishing with a time of 1.49.80secs.
 |
| Okwelogu takes a sip after winning women's Discus |
As widely expected, favourites for the 400m women’s
event, George Patience Okon and Regina George won their heats and will be going
head-on in Friday’s final.
The 2016 All-Nigeria Championships is serving as Olympic
trial to be used in selecting Team Nigeria to the Rio Olympics.
No comments:
Post a Comment