Nigeria women smash championship record to retain African relay crown as men settle for Silver

Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay team delivered a historic performance at the African Athletics Championships in Accra on Friday, shattering the championship record to retain their continental title in emphatic fashion, while the men’s quartet secured silver behind a dominant Ivory Coast side, Sport360NG reports.

The Nigerian women’s team, made up of Rosemary Nwankwo, Jennifer Chukwuka Obi, Rosemary Chukwuma and Miracle Ezechukwu, stormed to victory in 42.94 seconds, becoming the first quartet in the history of the championships to break the 43-second barrier.

Liberia finished second behind the Nigerians, while hosts Ghana settled for bronze as Nigeria once again asserted its dominance in women’s sprinting on the continent.

The record-breaking run also matched Nigeria’s season-best performance and capped an impressive relay campaign for the country at the ongoing championships in Ghana.

In the men’s 4x100m final, the Nigerian team of Favour Ashe, James Taiwo Emmanuel, Tejiri Godwin and Chidera Ezeakor clocked 38.70 seconds to clinch silver after a strong anchor leg from Ezeakor saw Nigeria edge past Ghana in the closing metres.

However, Ivory Coast proved too strong in the final, producing a winning time of 38.52 seconds to secure gold, while Ghana finished behind Nigeria in third place.

Nigeria’s relay success added to an already impressive outing at the University of Ghana Stadium, where the championships, which began on May 12, will conclude on May 17.

Earlier in the competition, Ezeakor had claimed bronze in the men’s 100m after crossing the line in 10.32 seconds. South Africa’s Bradley Nkoana recorded the same time but was awarded silver, while Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme won gold in 10.26 seconds.

Chukwuma also impressed individually in the women’s 100m, narrowly missing out on gold after posting the same 11.49 seconds as Cameroon’s Hervérge Kole Etame. The Cameroonian was eventually declared winner following a countback decision, while Liberia’s Thelma Davies took bronze in 11.51 seconds.

Nigeria’s dominance extended to the women’s 100m hurdles, where world record-holder Tobi Amusan reclaimed the African title with a winning time of 12.83 seconds.

Compatriots Ashley Miller and Adaobi Tabugbo completed a Nigerian clean sweep of the podium after finishing second and third in 13.24 and 13.26 seconds respectively.

The country also celebrated gold in the mixed 4x400m relay as Ezekiel Asuquo, Toheebat Jimoh, Victor Sampson and Patience Okon-George combined to clock 3:16.41, finishing ahead of Botswana and Kenya to round off a productive championship campaign for Team Nigeria.