Less than one month to the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, no Nigerian athletes have been considered as possible medalists in an analysis released yesterday by the World Athletics.
Being the first World Athletics Championships to be held in the United States at the all-new Hayward Field in Eugene, prospective challengers for medals.
Based on the performance of some athletes at the just concluded African Championships in Mauritius, there is clear evidence of the challenge that the continent will provide in Oregon.
Yet even with the performance of the likes of Tobi Amusan, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, Sade Olatoye and Chioma Onyekwere in Mauritius, none of them was listed as medal hopeful in Oregon.
However, Olympic and world bronze medallist Hugues Fabrice Zango of Burkina Faso, a champion in 2018, won gold again in Mauritius with the best effort of 17.34m.
World indoor bronze medallist Abel Kipsang, fourth at the Tokyo Olympics, underlined his huge potential by winning the men’s 1500m title.
Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, who heads this season’s world list in the men’s 100m after his 9.85 clocking in the thin air of Nairobi, added continental gold in 9.93, beating South Africa’s Commonwealth champion Akani Simbine on a photo-finish.
Gina Bass of The Gambia won the women’s 100m title in 11.06 from Aminatou Seyni of Niger, who went on to win the women’s 200m in 23.04.
