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By Abiodun Adewale
Two-time African Games champion and world record holder in women’s 100m hurdles, Tobi Amusan, is up for a third consecutive title at the Games, as she lines up in the final at the University of Ghana Sports Complex on Wednesday (today), PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Amusan was in a class of her own in the heats on Tuesday as she eased to a time of 13.03s to qualify for the final. Another Nigerian in the same heat, Stella Ayanleke, missed out on the chance to make the podium after placing fifth with a time of 15:09s.
Faith Osamuyi also joined Amusan in the final by finishing second in her heat with a time of 13:55s behind Madagascar’s Sidonie Fiadanantsoa.
Amusan and Osamuyi will be back on that track by 6:30pm today as the world record holder is favourite to win her third title after triumphs in Brazzaville (2015) and Rabat (2019).
Meanwhile, in the women’s 400m final, which also comes up today, Esther Joseph will hope to add to Nigeria’s medals haul in the athletics event after running a new personal best of 51.75s to win the first semi-finals on Tuesday. She defeated Madagascar’s Sita Sibiri, who ran a national record of 52.13s, and Botswana’s Lydia Jele, who posted 52.57s.
The returning Brittany Ogunmokun lined up in the same semi-finals as Joseph but she couldn’t make it into the final after finishing fifth in 53.26s.
Similarly, Nigeria will be in strong contention for the men’s 400m title with Chidi Okezie and Dubem Nwachukwu in the final. Okezie won the first semi-finals in 45:63s while Nwachukwu (45.89s) placed second in the third semi-finals behind Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga.
Both Okezie and Nwachukwu will have to give Samukonga a run for his money in today’s final as Zambia’s 45.51s is the fastest in qualifying and makes him the favourite for the gold.
The final of the women’s 400m will be run by 5:40pm Nigerian time today and will be followed immediately by the men’s final, while the men and women’s 4x100m relays will wrap up today’s schedule at the University of Ghana.