Olajide to battle Bass, Akamabi for 200m gold; Consider, Alaba also in final

Olajide Olayinka will battle The Gambia’s Gina Bass for the 200m gold medal after the 21 year old qualified for her second individual final at the ongoing 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana.

Olajide ran 23.51 to win her semifinal heat and will be seeking upset the defending champion, Bass who ran 23.42 to win the first semifinal heat. Congo’s Ngoye Akamabi however ran the fastest qualifying time of 23.25 to put herself as one of the hot contenders fo the gold on Friday. Olajide is seeking to become the fifth Nigerian woman to win the gold medal in the event and the first since 2011 when Damola Osayomi successfully defended her half lap title she won in 2007.

For the men, Consider Ekanem is also in his second individual final at the Games and will be seeking to make the podium this time after missing out in the 100m. The 19 year old ran 20.92 to come second behind IB Claude Emmanuel who won in 20.82. Alaba Akintola also sped into Friday’s final, winning the third semifinal in 21.00.