Top sport stars like Blessing Okagbare, Tobi Amusan and Divine Oduduru available for the 2019 African Games, Team Nigeria will be the cynosure of all eyes as the athletics events get underway on Monday.
The Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat will be a beehive of activities from Monday as athletics, the main events of the African Games, begin.
Apart from the top Nigerian athletes already in Rabat, some of the best in the continent’s track and field are also around to add to glamour to the 2019 African Games.
The five-day showpiece begins with 100 metres Men Decathlon.
This will be followed by the Women’s 100m heat where Nigeria’s Queen of the tracks, Okagabre, Africa Championships Bronze medallist, Joy Udo-Gabriel, and Aniekeme Alphonsus, are all listed to jostle for honours for Nigeria.
Okagbare will be starting her quest for a maiden gold medal in the 100m event as she has been listed to compete in Lane 8 of the Women’s Heat 2
With a time of 11.01secs eight years ago in Maputo, Okagbare won a silver medal in the 100m, though she won gold in the Long jump event the same year.
Udo-Gabriel and Aniekeme Alphonsus, who are both making their debut at the African Games, will be competing in 100 Women’s Heat 4 and 5 respectively.
For the men, Odudru, who is the joint second-fastest African ever, has been listed to run in the Men’s Heat 3 while his compatriots, Usheoritse Itsekiri, as well as Raymond Ekevwo, will be running in Heats 4 and 5
In all, 26 events are scheduled for the opening day of track and field action.
Four final events are scheduled for this Monday. They are Women’s Triple Jump, Men’s Discus Throw, Men’s 3000m Steeplechase, and Women’s 5000m.
-Premium Times
