All Nigeria Championships: Ogunlewe Defends 100m Crown

By Duro  Ikhazuagbe
 

Seye Ogunlewe is Nigeria’s fastest man again after winning the 100m Men’s title at the All-Nigeria Championships which ended on a high note on Friday.

Ogunlewe who won his first national title in Warri in 2015 beat his rivals as he ran a new Personal Best time of 10.12secs to retain his crown and also book a slot to the Rio Olympics having surpassed the set standard.

Oduduru Divine with a time of 10.25secs and Egwero Ogho-Oghene with a time of 10.36secs finished in second and third place respectively.

Speaking after his victory, Ogunlewe said he worked very hard to defend the title and would even work harder to make some impact in his debut appearance at the Olympics.

“I give thanks to God for making this possible, winning the 100m event again and qualifying for the Olympics is a dream come true,” the UK-based athlete stated.

Ogunlewe with a time of 21.28secs also won one of the finals of the men’s 200m event.

In another high point of the day, Blessing Okagbare also completed a sprint double; winning the women 200m event (Final A) with a time of 22.78secs.

The fleet-footed Queen of the Tracks who won her seventh 100m Women’s title a day earlier made a light work of the 200m event.

Lawretta Ozoh won the women’s 200m final B with a time of 23.71secs.

Having finished second in the 100m event, Oduduru had a lot to cheer as he won the 200m Men’s event with a time of 20.51secs.

Also on Friday, the Nigeria duo of Emmanuel Gyang and Deborah Pam both won the 10,000m in the men and women categories respectively.

Gyang finished first with a time of 31:31:58 while Solomon Yilbam finished second with a time of 32:05:19.

Daylong Sylvester of Nigeria Immigration came third with a time of 32:29:71.

In the women’s 10,000m run, Deborah Pam, also of NSCDC, won the race with a time of 36:53:73, while Olamide Oluwaseun came second on 37:25:17, Olumidi Aderonke however finished third.

Kunle Fasasi also became the new men’s 400m champions; dethroning Chidi Okezie with his winning time of 46.22secs.

It was Theddus Okpara who won the men’s High Jump; scaling 2.10m while Obiora Arinze finished 2nd jumping a height of 2.05m.

There was big upset in the Men’s 400m hurdles event where  Henry Okorie emerged champion, finishing in 50:12s to take the national title from Miles Ukaoma who could only manage a third place finish.

In the women’s race, Amaka Ogoegbunam retained her 400mH title, running a time of 57:61secs.

With the Nigeria Olympic trials over, attention will now be shifted to Saturday’s Confederation of Africa Athletics (CAA) Grand Prix, Warri Relays also taking place at the Sapele Township Stadium.