March 20, (THEWILL)- Nigeria’s athletes put in a strong showing at the 2024 African Games in Ghana, despite narrowly missing out on gold in the women’s hammer throw.
Sade Olatoye initially broke the Games record with a massive 68.56m throw but was pipped to the gold and silver medals by surging Algerian competitors. However, Olatoye’s 68.92m season’s best earned her a hard-fought bronze.
On the track, there were medal successes for the Nigerian sprint stars. Usheoritse Itsekiri upgraded his 2019 African Games 100m bronze to silver in Ghana, powering to a 10.23-second finish. Compatriot Consider Ekanem also impressed by taking 4th place in the same race.
Debutant Olayinka Olajide wasted no time in making her mark, capturing bronze in the women’s 100m final courtesy of an 11.55-second burst. The 22-year-old’s podium place bodes well for future major championships.
Nigeria’s African Games performance continues the nation’s proud recent tradition of athletics excellence on the continental stage. The haul of two silvers and two bronzes demonstrates both the current strength and future potential of the track team.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.