23rd African Athletics Championships: Nigeria extends search for first men’s 4x100m gold beyond 10 years, Amusan anchors women’s team to 12th gold in event

Nigeria’s 4x100m relay team’s bid to end the fruitless search for gold since 2014 after the team last mounted the podium as African champion was thwarted by Ghana Monday evening at the 23rd edition of the African Athletics Championships in Douala, Cameroon.

‘Imported Nigeria’ Mark Jelks anchored the quartet which also had another ‘imported Nigerian’ Monzavous Edwards as well as bonafide Nigerians Ogho-Oghene Egwero, the lead off runner and Obinna Metu who ran the third leg to gold in Marrakech 10 years ago.

Nigeria was hoping for a return to the podium as champions and the inclusion of reigning Nigerian champion, Kanyinsola Ajayi and rested Godson Oghenebrume could not do the magic as the team ran 38.84 behind Ghana who won in 38.63.

Pre-race favourites Botswana without Lestile Tebogo and South Africa did not finish the race as well as Senegal.

Meanwhile, the women’s quartet anchored by sprint hurdler Tobi Amusan picked their third consecutive gold in the event, seventh since 2008 and 12th since they won their first title on home soil in 1989.

The team also made up of Tianna Eyakpobeyan, Peace Ewa and Tima Godbless ran 43.01 for the gold ahead of Ghana (43.62) and Liberia (44.38).