A new generation of track athletes is breaking into the Nigerian athletics scene. PUNCH Sports Extra’s JOHNNY EDWARD highlights the top eight emerging young stars ahead of the African Games in Ghana
Ekanem Consider (100m)
Consider ensured he left the African Games AFN trials with a medal, bolting past the field to win the men’s 200m title after he was disqualified in the final of the 100m. The 19-year-old recorded Nigeria’s fourth fastest time in the 200m during the trials’ heats at before his win in the final with a time of 20.60secs (-0.5).
Before the trials in Asaba, Consider set a world-leading time of 10.10secs in his first 100m race of the season at the Dynamic Athletics Outdoor Meet 2024 in Lagos in January; the time still remains the fastest time run in the men’s 100m this year. He remains one of Nigeria’s medal hopeful in the 100m and 200m respectively at the African Games in Ghana next month.
Israel Okon (100m)
Okon took advantage of Consider’s false start in the final of Nigeria’s 100m African Games AFN trials to win the race in 10.20secs after breezing past Fakorede Adekalu and Enoch Adegoke, who placed second and third in 10.26secs and 10.30secs respectively.
The 17-year-old fast-rising athlete currently places 4242 in the men’s overall ranking and holds a personal best record in the 60m (6.92secs), which was set at the Navy New Sport Centre in Lagos.
Fiaku Goodluck (High jump)
Sixteen-year-old Goodluck posted a performance to remember at the African Games AFN trials in Asaba, setting a new personal best record in the high jump event.
The African U-18 bronze medallist equalled his personal best of 2.10m and then further improved on that mark with a 2.12m effort to secure victory at the trials.
He is also the only high jumper in the Nigerian camp ahead of the 13th African Games in Ghana.
Goodluck has always dreamt of being an Olympian since he took an interest in sports about eight years ago, when he was in Primary 3.
“I am happy with this invitation, it is a huge encouragement for me; I am going to do the best for my country and for myself.
“I still have my eyes on the Olympics, I want to take my career to the top,” he said.
Kayinsola Ajayi (100m x 200m)
Ajayi has been one of the standout performers in the men’s sprints since winning the 100m gold at the 2023 African U-20 Championships in Ndola, Zambia.
He further built on his African dominance when he moved to the US late last year, winning two gold at the 60m Clemson Indoor Track & Field events and the SEC Indoor Championships at the Randal Tyson Indoor Center, Fayetteville in February. The 19-year-old clocked the fastest qualifying time overall (10.65secs) in the 200m during the qualifying heat at the recent African Games Trials.
Olayinka Olajide (100m women)
Olajide etched her name in the annals of the country’s national champions on the track after she completed a double winning gold in the 100m and 200m at the African Games Trials in Asaba.
She achieved this remarkable feat setting a new personal best in both events. The 21-year-old emerged as the fastest Nigerian woman in the 100m with a personal best time of 11.19 secs.
Running in lane three in the final, she was too hot to handle as she confidently coasted home after breaking away from Blessing Ogundiran, who came second with 11.50secs and Favour Onyebuchi in third with 11.66secs. She also clinched gold in the women’s 200m with a new personal best of 23.24secs (-0.6).
Faith Osamuyi (100m hurdles)
Osamuyi gave a glimpse of what to expect from her at the African Games in Ghana when she took advantage of world record hurdler, Tobi Amusan’s absence by winning the 100m hurdles national title at the trials in Asaba. She won the final with a time of 13.48secs — her new personal record — edging favourite Stella Ayanleke, who chased her down to the finish line to record a new PB of 13.60secs. Precious Uduvweghre and Grace Ayemoba placed third and fourth in 14.31secs and 14.54secs respectively.
Esther Joseph (400m)
Joseph created an upset not many would have predicted in the women’s 400m event of the African Games Trials, where she outclassed favourite Patience Okon to win the title.
Okon-George, a dominant force in Nigerian athletics, was the favourite for the crown. Still, Esther stole the spotlight, posting awesome speed and determination from the start of the race to end and crossing the finish line in a remarkable 52.00secs.
Her time was a significant improvement from her previous personal best of 53.07secs, shaving off more than a second and securing her biggest career win to date. Joseph looks good to make an even bigger impact in the 400m at the African Games, including breaking the 49.10secs record that Falilat Ogunkoya set at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games in the US.
Temitope Adeshina (High Jump)
Adeshina proved her class in the women’s high jump after breaking the national record at the Texas Tech Corky Classic of the NCAA in the United States in January.
The 25-year-old recorded three landmark feats with her 1.96m jump – breaking the Nigerian record of 1.93m (indoor) and 1.95m (outdoor), which were set by Doreen Amata in 2016 and 2008 respectively.
Her mark also became the world lead for this year, third all-time in the NCAA and second-best mark in African indoor history but was 0.01m shy of the Paris Olympic Games automatic qualifying standard.
The 2022 African Championships silver medallist recently jumped 1.90m to triumph at the Big 12 championship in Houston Texas, USA beating the likes of Share Enoe and Trinity Tomlinson, who finished with 1.80m and 1.78m jumps respectively.
