Nigeria Heads to Accra for African Senior Athletics Championships
Nigeria’s contingent of home-based athletes has departed Lagos for Accra, Ghana, ahead of the 24th African Senior Athletics Championships, which begin on Tuesday.
Led by veteran 400m runner Patience Okon George, the team flew out via Murtala Mohammed International Airport and will link up with star athletes already in Accra, including World 100m hurdles record holder Tobi Amusan and former African youth and U20 champion Rosemary Chukwuma.
Amusan is chasing a third continental 100m hurdles crown, having triumphed in 2018 and 2022.
Chukwuma, meanwhile, is targeting her first senior African title and will spearhead Nigeria’s bid to reclaim the women’s 100m crown, last won by Blessing Okagbare in Marrakech 12 years ago.
On the men’s side, Favour Ashe is expected to lead Nigeria’s charge in the 100m as he works his way back to peak form.
His mission is to restore Nigeria’s dominance in the event, 18 years after Olusoji Fasuba completed a historic hat-trick of victories in the blue ribband race.
Nigeria will be aiming to return to the summit of African athletics after years of playing catch-up since 2012 in Porto Novo, when the nation last celebrated overall championship glory.
