Sprint Doubles for Onoriode and Edet Highlight Thrilling MTN CHAMPS Finale

The curtains fell on a spectacular edition of the MTN CHAMPS Grand Final at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, with young athletes delivering electrifying performances that underscored Nigeria’s growing depth of talent in track and field.

Bernice Onoriode was one of the standout performers of the meet, storming to victory in the Youth (U-17) Girls’ 100m final with a new personal best of 11.88s. She maintained remarkable consistency throughout the rounds, improving her times at every stage.

Onoriode later capped her dominant outing by clinching the 200m crown in 24.44s, completing a memorable sprint double.

In the Youth Boys’ category, Team MTN’s Fervent Edet mirrored that feat. After powering to 100m gold in 11.10s, he returned to secure the 200m title in 22.45s, sealing his own double triumph.

The Cadet division also produced thrilling moments. Jesudemilade Ojo sprinted to victory in the Boys’ 100m (12.48s) and later added the 200m title, while Chigozie Faith Ndokwu claimed the Girls’ 100m (13.01s) before completing her sweep with a 200m win in 26.58s.

In the Junior (U-20) women’s 200m, Chigozie Rosemary Nwankwo clocked 23.48s to edge Faith Chukwuma (23.53s PB) in a closely contested race. Ghana’s Kazali Iddrisu and Marizuk Shaibu impressed in the men’s sprints, winning the 200m titles in 21.28s and 20.97s respectively.

Middle-distance races added further excitement. National champion Comfort James lived up to her billing, taking the women’s 800m in 2:05.58, while Ayomide Olaitan claimed the men’s crown in 1:52.63.

The Grand Final also witnessed breakthrough performances in the 400m events. Team MVP’s Chisom Ezeh ran a personal best of 56.87s to dominate the Youth Girls’ race, while Afeez Lasisi stunned with a lifetime best of 51.05s to win the Youth Boys’ title.

With medals decided across multiple categories, the MTN CHAMPS Grand Final concluded in style, showcasing thrilling rivalries, personal bests, and the promise of a bright future for athletics in Nigeria and beyond.