Nigeria finishes 3rd with 11 medals at African Athletics Championships

Team Nigeria has finished third on the overall medals table at the 2022 African Athletics Championships in Port Loius, Mauritius.

The athletes amassed 11 medals — 5 gold, three silver, and three bronze — to rank behind Kenya and South Africa at the end of the competition on Sunday.

The top two teams were clearly above other countries in the championships with combined laurels of 59 medals.

The Nigerians saved their best for the last as the final day saw the team win four medals across both track and field events.

Chukwuebuka Enekwechi defended his African title in the men’s shot put and won a gold medal after throwing 21.20 meters. The throw erased his 21.08 meters mark in Asaba 2018 to become the championship record.

Mike Edwards, the former Big Brother Naija housemate, soared above the 2.15-meter barrier to win silver at the men’s high jump event.

Both the men’s and women’s teams for the 4×400 meters relay race won bronze medals.

Nigeria’s first gold medal in the championship was won by Tobi Amusan on Wednesday in the women’s 100 meters hurdles.

The 25-year-old also teamed up with Tima Godbless, Praise Ofoku, and Praise Idamadudu to win the country’s second gold in the competition with a 44.45-second finish in the finals of the women’s 4×100 meters relay.

Chioma Onyekwere won the third gold medal after achieving 59.19 meters throw in the women’s discus event. Sade Olatoye added the fourth gold medal in the women’s hammer throw.

Alongside Edwards, the two other silver medals were won by Temitope Adeshina in the women’s high jump and the mixed 4×400 meters team.

The third bronze medal was secured by Obiageri Amechi in the women’s discus throw.

Nigeria finished third — the same position the team took four years ago in Asaba.