Team Nigeria delivered an impressive performance at the 24th African Athletics Championships in Accra, Ghana, finishing the continental competition with a total of 12 medals after several outstanding displays across track and field events.
The Nigerian contingent ended the championships with four gold medals, five silver medals and three bronze medals, reinforcing the country’s reputation as one of Africa’s strongest athletics nations.
The competition, held at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium in Accra, attracted some of the continent’s finest athletes, with countries battling for medals in sprinting, middle distance races, field events and relays.
Nigeria’s campaign was particularly successful in relay races, where the country once again demonstrated its strength and dominance on the African athletics stage.
One of the biggest highlights of the championships came during the women’s 4×400 metres relay final, where the Nigerian quartet produced a commanding performance to secure gold.
The team made up of Esther Okon, Toheebat Jimoh, Jecinter Lawrence and experienced athlete Patience Okon George crossed the finish line in 3 minutes, 29.25 seconds to finish ahead of Ethiopia and Kenya.
The victory enabled Nigeria to successfully defend its African title in the event and provided a memorable ending to the country’s campaign in Ghana. The relay performance also underlined Nigeria’s growing strength in the women’s 400 metres category, which has continued to produce talented athletes in recent years.
Nigeria had earlier claimed another relay gold medal in the mixed 4×400 metres event through the quartet of Ezekiel Asuquo, Toheebat Jimoh, Victor Sampson and Patience Okon George.
The Nigerian team delivered an excellent performance to finish first with a time of 3 minutes, 16.44 seconds, ahead of Botswana and Kenya.
The victory further strengthened Nigeria’s standing as one of Africa’s leading relay nations and highlighted the country’s ability to compete strongly in both men’s and women’s sprint events.
Another major success for Team Nigeria came in the women’s 4×100 metres relay, where the quartet of Rosemary Chigozie, Jennifer Chukwuka, Rosemary Chukwuma and Miracle Ezechukwu stormed to victory in a time of 42.94 seconds.
Nigeria finished ahead of Liberia and host nation Ghana to secure another gold medal and maintain its dominance in the sprint relay category.
The triumph marked Nigeria’s fourth consecutive African Championships title in the women’s 4×100 metres relay event, further cementing the country’s status as a continental powerhouse in sprinting.
World record holder Tobi Amusan once again lived up to expectations by winning gold in the women’s 100 metres hurdles.
The Nigerian star clocked 12.83 seconds in the final to successfully defend her African title and secure another continental crown for Team Nigeria.
Amusan’s victory represented her third African Championships gold medal in the event after previously winning in Asaba in 2018 and Mauritius in 2022.
The performance further confirmed her position as one of Africa’s greatest female athletes and one of the leading sprint hurdlers in global athletics.
Rosemary Chukwuma also emerged as one of Nigeria’s standout performers during the championships.
The sprinter claimed silver medals in both the women’s 100 metres and 200 metres races before later contributing to Nigeria’s relay gold medal victory.
Her consistent performances throughout the competition attracted praise from athletics analysts, many of whom described her as one of the country’s most promising sprint talents.
In the men’s category, Chidera Ezeakor secured bronze in the 100 metres final, while Nigeria’s men’s 4×100 metres relay team claimed silver behind Ivory Coast.
The Nigerian quartet of Favor Ashe, James Emmanuel, Tejiri Godwin and Chidera Ezeakor produced a season’s best time of 38.70 seconds but narrowly missed out on gold after Ivory Coast set a national record to win the race.
Nigeria also recorded success in field events as Sade Olatoye won silver in the women’s hammer throw after recording a best mark of 69.60 metres.
Adaobi Tabugbo added another bronze medal in the women’s 100 metres hurdles to further boost Team Nigeria’s final tally.
At the end of the competition, Kenya finished top of the overall medal table with 17 medals, including six gold medals. South Africa occupied second position while Ethiopia completed the top three nations.
Despite not topping the medal standings, Nigeria’s impressive relay performances and strong sprint displays earned widespread praise from sports analysts and athletics supporters across the continent.
Many observers believe the championships provided encouraging signs for the future of Nigerian athletics ahead of major international competitions, including the World Athletics Championships and preparations toward the 2028 Olympic Games.
With experienced stars like Tobi Amusan continuing to deliver and younger athletes stepping forward confidently, Team Nigeria appears well positioned to remain competitive on both continental and global athletics stages in the coming years.
