2023 Nigerian Track And Field Championships: Itsekiri dethrones Ashe as Nigeria’s 100m king!

 

–Ogundiran shines, wins first Nigerian championships individual title

Usheoritse Itsekiri is Nigeria’s new 100m champion after racing home first in 10.02 seconds ahead of Seye Ogunlewe (10.11) and Alaba Akintola (10.12) while defending champion, Favour Ashe came in fourth (10.13).

The 25 year old, Canada based Itsekiri came home as on of the favourites to win his second 100m title alongside Ashe who ran 9.99 seconds to win his first titl last year but it was the former who suceeded in winning again after his first triumph in 2019.

Itsekiri’s victory was not however complete as he failed to hit the 10.00 seconds entry standard for next month’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary and has until July 30 to achieve the mark.

Ashe was the overwhelming favourite for the title following his status as the only man in the line up to have broken 10 seconds this year but Itsekiri, who finished eighth last year proved there is a world of difference between the NCAA circuit and the Nigerian Championships.

The duo of Godson Oghenebrume, the fastest Nigerian (9.90) over the 100m this year and third on the all-time list and Udodi Onwuzurike, the second fastest this year (9.92) snubbed the championships.

Meanwhile, Blessing Ogundiran won her first Nigerian championships individual title when she sped to an 11.50 finish ahead of African U18 100m champion, Faith Okwose (11.51) and, surprisingly, Ese Brume (11.52).

In the 100m hurdles, Tobi Amusan expectedly strolled to her third straight Nigerian championships individual title after running 12.70 ahead of Faith Osamuyi (13.90) and Kemi Francis-Peterson (14.14).