Nigeria’s sprinting prowess was on full display at the MTN CHAMPS Continental Relays held in Lagos, as Favour Ashe and Iyanu Bada emerged victorious in the senior men’s and women’s 100m finals, respectively. The event, which took place at the Yaba College of Technology Sports Complex, showcased exceptional performances from both established stars and emerging talents, solidifying Nigeria’s reputation as a hub for athletics excellence.
Favour Ashe, a 22-year-old rising star, lived up to his billing as the favorite in the men’s 100m final. Demonstrating composure and control, Ashe crossed the finish line in 10.28 seconds to claim gold. Although the time fell short of his personal best of 9.96 seconds, Ashe’s dominance was unquestionable as he left silver medalist Chidera Ezeakor (10.38s) and bronze medalist ThankGod Igube (10.49s) trailing behind. His victory added another feather to his cap following his impressive performance at the Niger Delta Sports Festival earlier this year.
In the women’s category, Iyanu Bada continued her remarkable form by clinching gold with a wind-assisted time of 11.30 seconds. The 26-year-old had already set personal records in earlier rounds, clocking 11.48 seconds in the preliminaries and improving to 11.38 seconds in the semifinals. Despite the tailwind nullifying her final time as a new personal best, Bada’s dominance was evident as she outpaced Flore-Julie Krakre of Ivory Coast (11.86s) and Janet Adesiyan (11.90s), who settled for silver and bronze respectively.
The championships also highlighted other stellar performances across various events. In the women’s 400m final, six-time national champion Patience Okon-George reaffirmed her supremacy by clocking a season-best 52.67 seconds to secure gold. Her nearest competitors, Miracle Donald-Uwem (55.10s) and Pemisire Adepoju Adedoyin (56.29s), could not match her pace, underscoring her dominance in the quarter-mile race.
Samson Nathaniel delivered an equally commanding performance in the men’s 400m final, finishing first with a time of 46.71 seconds. Team MTN’s Benjamin Magaji achieved a personal best of 48.04 seconds to claim silver, while Deji Sholotan rounded off the podium with a time of 48.31 seconds.
The junior categories were not left out of the excitement as John Caleb continued his unbeaten streak in the U-20 men’s 100m, clocking an impressive 10.45 seconds to clinch gold ahead of Qudus Akintoye (10.65s) and Abdulrahman Jimoh (10.75s). Meanwhile, Team MTN dominated the junior women’s 100m final with Lucy Nwankwo breaking the 12-second barrier for the first time in her career to win gold with a personal best of 11.99 seconds.
Field events also witnessed surprises, with Rukevwe Godsgift Nwagbowu upsetting favorite Ibukun Daramola in the men’s long jump by leaping to victory with a distance of 7.47 meters.
The two-day competition held across Yabatech and Unilag Sports Complexes served as a testament to MTN’s commitment to grassroots sports development in Nigeria while providing a platform for athletes to showcase their talent on home soil. As fans cheered on their favorites, it became clear that Nigerian athletics is poised for greater heights on both continental and global stages.
