By Emmanuel Okogba
The World Athletics Championships will begin on Friday 15 in Oregon, USA. While Nigeria has not brought in the medals as expected, it has been regular when it comes to putting in appearances at the biennial event.
With a total of nine (9) medals, silver and bronze, since the inception, Nigeria will except to win her first gold at this year’s delayed event. FISTNEWS puts together a list of ten (10) athletes leading the pursuit for medals at Hayward Field.
Amusan is one of the leading contenders to land gold in the 110m hurdles this year after missing out of the medal winning spots, finishing fourth in the 2019 edition. Only Glory Alozie has come close to winning gold in the event at the Championships after claiming a silver medal in Seville, Spain in 1999.
Long jump specialist, Brume, could become the first Nigerian athlete to win medals at two World Championships. She got Bronze during the last edition in Doha.
Ofili has risen from the ruins of her 2019 outing where he could only get to the semi-final stage of the 400m. The 19-year-old will be competing in the 100m, 200m and is part of 4x100m women relay team. She heads into the Championships with a season best and personal best times of 10.93 and 21.96 in the 100m and 200m respectively.
Favour Oghene Tejiri Ashe
Nigeria’s fastest man, 20-year-old Favour Ashe will stake a claim to gold from the 100m sprint, alongside Udodi Onwuzurike and Raymond Ekevwo. He makes up the top 16 sub-10s male sprinters heading to the Championships with a season best time of 9.99s.
Raymond Ekevwo
Ekevwo will compete in the 100m and is part of Nigeria’s men 4x100m relay team to the Championships. The 2019 African Games champion enters Oregon with a season best of 10.04s.
Patience Okon George
George will be competing at her 5th Championships in her favourite relay event. She makes up a 6-man team that consists of Patience Knowledge Omovoh, Imaobong Nse Uko, Sikiru Adewale Adeyemi, Dubem Amene and Samson Oghenewegba Nathaniel in the 4×400 mixed relay.
Imaobong Nse Uko
World U-20 champion, Imaobong Nse Uko, will compete at Oregon in her debut senior Championships and will compete in the 400m and 4x400m mixed relays events.
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, who placed eighth during the last edition in Doha, will compete in the shot put event. He is the reigning African Champion in the field event.
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