Kenya Outclasses Nigeria to Emerge Champions of 2024 Africa Senior Athletics Championships.
Team Kenya has once again demonstrated their athletic prowess by emerging as champions of the 2024 Africa Senior Athletics Championships held in Douala, Cameroon. Nigeria, despite a commendable performance, settled for third place.
Team Nigeria won a total of 13 medals during the competition. On the final day, they secured one more gold medal to finish in third place, mirroring their position from the 2022 edition in Port Louis, Mauritius.
In the overall medals table, Nigeria finished third with 11 medals – five gold, three silver, and three bronze – trailing behind Kenya and South Africa.
Japoma Stadium in Douala, the event’s venue, witnessed Nigeria secure five gold, four silver, and four bronze medals, with the majority of the victories coming from female athletes. The women’s team won four gold, three silver, and two bronze medals, while the men’s team earned two gold, one silver, and two bronze medals.
Two years ago in Mauritius, Team Nigeria saved their best performance for the final day of competition, winning four medals across track and field events. However, in Douala yesterday, the women’s 4x400m relay team clinched the gold medal in 3:27.31 seconds, while their male counterparts finished fourth in 3:02.93 seconds.
United States-based sprinter Alaba Akintola could not match the speed of his competitors in the 200m final, finishing sixth.
Among the athletes who defended their titles in Douala was Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, who won the men’s shot put event, having previously won the title in Asaba 2018 and defended it in Mauritius 2022.
Women’s discus thrower Obiageri Amaechi claimed the gold medal this time around, after settling for bronze two years ago in Mauritius. Ese Brume retained her title in Douala, as did the women’s 4x100m relay squad led by Tobi Amusan, who secured a gold medal.
One significant setback for Nigeria in Douala was Amusan’s inability to defend her women’s 100m hurdles title due to illness. Nigeria had hoped to secure gold medals in the women’s 100m and 200m events, but these hopes were dashed when United States-based sprinter Favour Ofili withdrew from the Championships.
Temitope Adeshina lost the gold medal to her Ghanaian challengers in the high jump event, securing a silver medal as she did two years ago in Mauritius.
Nigeria also finished in third place when it hosted the event in 2018 in Asaba, Delta State.
