AFN excited as athletes hit great form ahead of African Games

Nigeria’s Ruth Usoro (Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP)

As the countdown to the 13th African Games begins, some members of Team Nigeria Athletics are shaping up in great form, returning excellent timing and setting Personal Bests across the United States.

The African Games will hold in March in three Ghanaian cities.

Barely 24 hours after high jumper, Temitope Adeshina, shattered a 14-year-old National Record, Nigeria triple jump record holder, Ruth Usoro, and sprinter, Success Umukoro, proved some spark with their stellar performances.

Usoro claimed the triple jump title with a leap of 13.89m, while Umukoro ran a new 23.49seconds lifetime best to place sixth in the 200m event.

Usoro’s 13.89m mark is the second longest in the world so far, this indoor season, bettered only by Neja Filipic’s 13.90m mark achieved on January 14 at the Olimpijski center, Novo Mesto in Slovenia.

Ella Onojuvwevwo also ran a new 23.91 seconds lifetime best in the half lap, and led her school, Louisiana State University, to win the 4x400m event.

Former World U-20 400m champion, Uko Nse, took the baton last for Baylor University to place seventh (3:41.35).

Meanwhile, Godson Brume, commenced his season on a not-too-impressive note with a 21.40 seconds feat, placing fourth in the second heat of the 200m event and 11th in overall at the weekend in the Texas Tech’s Corky Classic.

The Delta State-born Brume was expected to continue with the excitement created by compatriot Temitope Adeshina’s high jump record-setting 1.96m clearance on the opening day of the event, but he finished short of expectations.

This impressive form recorded by Nigerian athletes in USA and other parts of the world has not gone unnoticed by the governing body of athletics in Nigeria (AFN).