13th African Games: Esther Joseph faces Mary Moraa test in women’s 400m final

Esther Joseph will be the lone Nigerian campaigner in the women’s 400m and the 20 year old will be aiming for a golden end to her fairytale run in her
African Games debut.

Joseph has surprised with her impressive performances so far, improving from a 53.38 runner over th distance in 2023 first to 52.00 at the African Games
trial in Asaba last month to a 51.74 runner.

She won her first round heat with a commanding 51.81 run, a lifetime best before improving it to 51.74 to win her semifinal heat.

Joseph is already dreaming big and her bid to become the first Nigerian winner of the event since Falilat Ogunkoya won in Johannesburg, South Africa in 199
will depend on if she can spring another surprise in the final by breaking yet another barrier.

She will need to improve from a 51.7 runner to probably dip inside 51 seconds for the first time in her career in other to stand a chance against Kenya’s
Mary Moraa who is the overwhelming favourite to win what will be Kenya’s 400m gold in the history of the games.

Moraa, the reigning world 800m champion holds a lifetime best of 50.38 in the event and has run 51.25 over the distance so far this year.

The 23 year old will be looking to improve from a fourth place finish in 2019 to gold this time.