Six Gold, Five Silver: Team Nigeria Rules Athletics at 4th African Youth Games
Nigeria’s young athletes amassed six gold and five silver medals, reaffirming the nation’s depth and promise in youth athletics.
In the sprints, Nigeria made an emphatic statement in the 100 metres. Rosemary Chigozie Nwakwo stormed to victory in the girls’ event, clocking 11.77 seconds to claim gold.
She finished ahead of South Africa’s Oluchi Ndubueze, who took silver in 12.12 seconds, while Morocco’s Maria Saadi secured bronze in 12.27 seconds.
In the boys’ 100 metres, Emmanuel Akolo earned silver for Nigeria with a time of 10.76 seconds, finishing just behind South Africa’s Micah Africa, who won gold in 10.67 seconds.
The quarter‑mile events added to Nigeria’s medal tally. Hafsoh Bisola Majekodunmi dominated the girls’ 400 metres, winning gold in 55.16 seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Desta Kurni and Congo’s Maguerita Athouaby. In the boys’ 400 metres, David Udoh delivered a strong performance to take silver in 47.77 seconds, narrowly trailing South Africa’s Fairlie Jaydon.
Nigeria’s success extended to the field events. Timothy secured gold in the triple jump, while Godswill Anelechi Nkemakolam claimed silver in the boys’ long jump with a best effort of 7.18 metres, finishing behind South Africa’s Jayden Fourie.
The hurdles and half‑lap events also produced medals for the country. Gift Gowon won silver in the 400 metres hurdles, and Tejiri Ugoh sprinted to gold in the girls’ 200 metres, clocking 23.95 seconds to finish ahead of South Africa’s Isabella Gunter and Gambia’s Njie Adama.
In the boys’ 200 metres, Perfect Faye continued his rise on the continental stage, running a season’s best of 21.47 seconds to secure silver.
Nigeria’s relay teams capped off a memorable campaign. The girls’ medley relay quartet of Miriam Jegede, Miracle Oluebube, Faith Ezechukwu and Jacinter Lawrence combined brilliantly to win gold.
The boys’ medley relay team—Gift Gowon, Emmanuel Akolo, David Udoh and Tosin Solomon Essan—matched the feat with a superb gold‑medal performance.
