The 21st Africa (Senior) Athletics Championship came to an end after five days of athletes competing for top honours. While Kenya topped the medals table of games, it was a close call as South Africa and Nigeria put up a good fight till the last minute.
Kenya who came with a strong team and loads of complaints won a total of 11 gold, six silver and two bronze medals. South Africa who led for most of the five-day event settled for second place with nine gold 13 silver and eight bronze medals. Nigeria settled for third place with nine gold, five silver and five bronze medals with the last set of gold medals for Nigeria coming in the Triple Jump Event, 400m Women’s Hurdles Event and the 4x400m Women’s Relay event.
Nigeria’s Onome Nathaniel Glory won the women 400m hurdles with a time of 55.53 seconds, Grace Abata won the women triple jump gold, the women 4x400m completed the day for Nigeria after putting on a good display to win the gold much to the delight of the cheering crowd.
In the 200m women Ivorian Marie Josee Ta Lou completed her sprint double returning 22.50 seconds. Nigeria Praise Idamadudu was 8th with 23.79seconds.
“Our team did quite well despite all the odds we faced. We didn’t have the best of preparations and we had to make do with the little resources we had,” said AFN president Ibrahim Gusau.
Morocco and Ethiopia complete the list of the top five teams.
For the first time in the history of the African championships, athletes from Nigeria and other African countries will not just go home with their medals, but with monetary reward.
The Local Organizing Committee of the 2018 African Senior Athletics Championship on Sunday revealed prize money for athletes who won medals in Asaba.
Speaking in Asaba, LOC Chairman Solomon Ogba announced that athletes who won gold medal will get a cash prize of $3000 each.
Ogba added that silver medalists will be rewarded with ($2000), while bronze medalists will smile home with ($1000).
Over 120 medals were won at the 2018 African Senior Athletics Championship, tagged Asaba 2018.
The next edition of the championship will be taking place in Algeria.
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