Ezeakor, Kure, Okon George Lead Nigeria’s Hunt for First Athletics Gold at Islamic Solidarity Games

Nigeria’s hopes of securing a first-ever track and field gold medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games now rest on a select group of athletes and relay teams as the track and field competition enters its penultimate day at the Prince Faisal Bin Fahad Stadium.

The quintet of Chidera Ezeakor (200m men), Samuel Adams Kure (javelin), Gafari Atanda Badmus and Ezekiel Eno Asuquo (400m men), and Patience Okon George (400m women), alongside the men’s and women’s 4x100m relay squads, will be under the spotlight as they bid to make history.

With field eventers Chioma Onyekwere, Obiageri Pamela Amaechi, and Oyesade Olaoye unable to reach the win gold, attention has shifted firmly to these contenders.

Ezeakor, drawn in lane four, will attempt to deliver Nigeria’s breakthrough gold in the 200m.

The 20-year-old, who clocked a lifetime best of 20.72 in qualifying, faces a stern test against reigning African Games 100m champion Emmanuel Eseme, who boasts a superior best of 20.23 this season.

In the quartermile, Badmus and Asuquo will battle for glory against strong opposition, including ‘Nigerian’ Bamidele Emmanuel. Okon George, meanwhile, faces perhaps the toughest challenge of all in Salwa Eid Naser, the Bahraini athlete of Nigerian descent who is a former world 400m champion, Olympic medalist, and a sub-49 second runner.

Kure will also be chasing history in the javelin. His season’s best of 76.79m puts him in contention, but he must overcome formidable rivals such as reigning Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan, who has thrown 86.40m this year, compatriot Muhammad Yasir (77.43m), and Uzbekistan’s Sarvar Ismoilov (74.24m).

Nigeria’s overall medal tally after day 15 stands at 18, comprising six golds from weightlifting, eight silvers, and four bronzes. The team has slipped further down the table, while Egypt leads Africa with 37 medals, including 13 golds, and Morocco follows with 18 medals, eight of them gold.