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Nigeria women strike African sprint double

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Blessing Okagbare and Seun Adigun sealed a double victory for Nigeria in the women’s 100 metres and 100-metre hurdles on the second day of the African Athletics Championships here on Thursday.

Okagbare made up for a poor start to record a convincing victory that equalled her personal best mark of 11.03 seconds, well clear of Perennes Pau Zang Milama of Gabon, who took the silver medal in 11.15sec.

Former champion Damola Osayemi of Nigeria came third.

“Whatever championships I have won this year, I have worked hard for it. I have trained hard and am really grateful to God that everything is in place for me,” said Okagbare, who is also an Olympic long jump bronze medallist.

“My goal this year is to break the African record at the
Commonwealth Games,” she added.

But there was disappointment for the Nigerian men’s champion Obinna Metu, who finished seventh behind the surprise race winner, Ben Youssef Meite of the Ivory Coast, who timed 10.08sec.

Veteran Zakari Aziz of Ghana came second in 10.12 with Simon Magakwe (10.14) in third spot.

Seun Adigun showed no problems after a recent bout of illness when she powered her way to win the women’s 100m hurdles in a personal best 13.14sec.

Gnima Faye of Senegal took the silver in 13.67 while Algeria’s Amina Ferguen (13.87) won the bronze.

Kenya’s world 5,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot added the African title to her collection by winning the distance event from her Ethiopian opponents, Meseret Defar and Sentayehu Ejigu, who were placed second and third respectively.

Cheruiyot won in 16min 18.72sec, while Defar clocked 16:20.54.

It was the second gold medal for Kenya after Wilson Kiprop won the men’s 10,000m on Wednesday.

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