AFOLABI SAHEED OLAWALE
Favour Oghene Tejiri Ashe produced the performance of the day at the Commonwealth Games Trials, blazing to victory in the men’s 100 metres with a stunning personal best time of 9.93 seconds.
The Delta State speedster exploded out of the blocks and maintained his momentum throughout the race to become the only athlete in the field to break the coveted 10-second barrier. His impressive performance further cemented his status as one of Nigeria’s brightest sprint talents ahead of forthcoming international competitions.
Fakorede Nicholas Adekalu of Mississippi State University also delivered a remarkable performance, finishing second in a personal best time of 9.98 seconds. Team Customs’ Chidera Ezeakor continued his impressive rise in Nigerian athletics, claiming third place with another personal best of 10.03 seconds.
Bayelsa State’s teenage sensation, Tejiri Godwin, showcased his immense potential by finishing fourth in a personal best 10.20 seconds, while former national champion Enoch Adegoke placed fifth in 10.27 seconds.
Making of Champions athlete Gafaru Audu recorded a season’s best 10.42 seconds to finish sixth, ahead of Dynamic Athletics’ Osama Chibueze, who crossed the line seventh in 10.46 seconds.
The event also produced three home-based athletes who achieved the qualifying benchmark for the Ben Aghazu Excellent in Athletics Prize. They are Favour Ashe, Chidera Ezeakor, and Tejiri Godwin, whose performances highlighted the growing strength of home-grown sprinting talent in Nigeria.
The men’s 100 metres final proved to be one of the most competitive races of the trials, with four athletes setting new personal bests. Ashe’s electrifying 9.93-second victory stood out as a clear indication of the progress being made in Nigerian sprinting and reinforced optimism about the country’s prospects on the global stage.
With performances of this calibre emerging from both established stars and rising talents, Nigeria’s sprint programme appears well-positioned for continued success at future continental and international championships.
