AFN World Athletics Championships Trials Update

By: Gyang Dakwo

World 100m hurdles record holder, Tobi Amusan, retained her national title after 12.70s finish in her first race in Nigeria since setting the world record of 12.12s last year in Oregon.

Amusan is now on course to defend her title in Budapest next month after a recent win at the Stockholm Diamond League last month.

Two-time African Champion, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, who is also the 2023 African leader in the men’s Shot-put with a Season’s Best of 21.69m, delivered yet again on home soil at the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) World Athletics Championships Trials in Benin.

Enekwechi dusted the field to defend his National title with a distance throw of 21.09m, which is his 7th throw beyond 21 metres this season. This is his 4th victory at the National Championships, having secured the first one in 2016, and then consecutive titles from 2021 to 2023.

The reigning African Games Champion is poised to represent Nigeria at the forthcoming World Championships in Budapest, which will be his fourth appearance at the biennial showpiece.

In the men’s 100mUsheoritse Itsekiri put up a great performance to win the title of Nigeria’s fastest man in 10.02s.

By so doing, he equalled his Personal Best (PB) from 2019, the same year he won his first National title. Behind him was Seye Ogunlewe who laid claim to 2nd place in 10.11s, followed closely by Alaba Akintola in 10.12s.

In the women’s event, Edo State’s Blessing Ogundiran won her first National title after securing the victory with a time of 11.50s over African U-18 100m/200m champion Faith Okwose, and African long jump record holder, Ese Brume.