New National Champions have emerged in the Youth and Junior categories after the conclusion of the 2019 National U18 and U20 Trials held at the Gateway International Stadium, Ilaro, Ogun State from March 15th to 17th.
The trials which signalled the start of the 2019 atheltics season was organised by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to select athletes who will represent the country at the 14th U20 African Championships billed for Abidjan, Ivory Coast from 16 to 20 April, 2019.
18-year old Nzubechi Grace Nwokocha won the 100m U20 Women’s title in a time of 11.79s while Fadahunsi Oluwateniolafunmi won the 100m in the U18 Women’s category in a time of 12.30s. In the U20 Men’s category, Adegoke Enoch emerged champion in the 100m in a time of 10.39s while 15-year old Brume Godson won in the U18 Boy’s category in a time of 10.39s.
Jimoh Abdulazeez emerged champion in the 110m Hurdles in the U18 Men’s category with a time 15.10s while Musa Wisdom ran a time 14.86s to win the same event in the U20 Men’s category. In the 100m hurdles U18 Women’s event, Adunbi Victoria emerged victorious in a time of 15.04s.
17-year old Rosemary Chukwuma made up for missing the 100m title by storming to the 200m U20 Women’s title in a time of 24.32s while Favour Ofili and Mabel Michael won in the U18 Women’s 200m A&B with times of 23.74s and 25.82s respectively.
In the 200m U20 Men’s event, 18-year old Favour Ekpekpe produced a personal best of 21.44s to take the title while the U18 Men’s A&B category was won by Iruoghene Okoro and Sewekan Thevoethin with times of 21.88s and 21.83s respectively.
15-year old National Champion Imaobong Nse Uko continued her dominance of the 400m by taking the title in the U18 Womens category in a time of 54.46s while Ada Bright won the ‘B’ version of the race in 59.34s. Obashola Olaoluwa and Fatola Adedoyin won the A&B versions of the 400m U18 Men posting 47.37s and 48.14s respectively. Nsikak Francis with a time of 48.74s and Charity Agofure in a time of 56.58s emerged champions in the U20 Men and Women’s 400m respectively.
18-year old National Champion David Olowookere nursing a sore knee was still able to win in the U20 Men’s 400m hurdles with a time of 52.88s while 17-year old Teslim Oyedele emerged champion in the U18 Men category with a time of 53.80s. 16-year old Sarah Ochigbo in 64.29s and Abasiono Akpan in 63.10s emerged champions in the 400m hurdles in the U18 and U20 Women’s category respectively.
In the field events, Princess Kara maintained her impressive form from the 2018 National Sports Festival to win in the U20 Women’s Discus with a throw of 42.37m while Esther Osisike won the U18 Women’s category with a throw of 40.93m. Kelvin Udugba with a throw of 43.31m and Chukwuma Obiajunwa with a throw of 39.25m emerged champions in the U18 and U20 Men’s Discus.
16-year old Olatunde Olaolu and Law Erewa emerged champions in the U18 and U20 Long Jump in the male category with leaps of 6.47m and 6.84m respectively. Victory George and Ruth Agadamma leapt 5.71m and 5.17m respectively to emerge champions in the U20 and U18 Long Jump in the female category.
Hannah Kemele dominated two different events emerging champion in both the Women’s U18 Javelin and U20 Shotput with throws of 44.45m and 15.22m respectively.
A full list of results of the recently concluded 2019 National U18 and U20 Trials can be found here.
