AFN Golden League: Ronke Akunbi Sets New Record in 3000m Women Event

Ogazi Too Hot In 400m, Okowa Praises Athletes

The Benin City leg of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Golden League provided some spectacular results at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, with Ronke Akunbi of Ogun State setting a new national record in the 3000m women event.

She ran 9.24.85secs to erase the old record of 9.41.28secs set by Itsemhike Anwalimhobor in far back 1989. The new record is subject to ratification. Akunbi dusted Faustina Oguh, who finished 11.39.60secs and Blessings Abu (13.28.40secs) to achieve the feat.

The men’s 400m as well as the women 100m hurdles also produced excitement at the event. In the women 100m hurdles, Faith Osamuyi, who participated in the African U-18/20 in Ndola, Zambia, two months ago, ran 13.81secs to beat race favorite, Stella Ayanleke, who did 13.96secs. Kemi Francis Peterson finished in third position in 14.49secs.

Another junior athlete, Faith Okwosa, also stunned the field in the women’s 100m, breasting the tape with a time of 11.45secs to edge home-girl, Marvelous Asemota, to second place. Asemota clocked 11.54secs, while Tiana Eyakpobeyan was third with 11.57secs.

The race everyone looked forward to, the men’s 400m, played out in favour of Samuel Ogazi, who proved too hot to handle. At the home stretch, Ogazi established a dominant lead with Chidera Johnson and Sikiru Adeyemi on his tail. But he held on to finish at 46.10secs shy of the 45.91 he did at Abuja leg of the AFN Golden League on May 26. Chidera was second with 46.37secs, Adeyemi third with 46. 38secs, while Samson Nathaniel, who made his first appearance in the Golden League this season, managed a 46.57secs run.

In the women’s 400m race, Patience Okon-George though was unbeaten, did not run the kind of race she wanted. She finished the race at 52.47secs. Okon-George had opened the Golden League with 51.92secs. Queen Osunobun and Joy Usenbor chased her down with 52.55secs and 53. 36secs respectively.

AFN Technical Director, Samuel Onikeku said: “The competition went on well, and it will make our national trials very competitive and interesting. By the time we run Golden League final, it will even be more better, and I look forward to the national trials, where I expect the home-based athletes to rise up to the challenge of the foreign-based athletes.”

Meanwhile, AFN President, Tonobok Okowa has explained why the Premium Trust Bank sponsorship deal with the federation was not signed before the Golden League in Benin City, saying that a final agreement has not been reached.

“We have not reached an agreement with the bank and consultant on the contract. It is a tripartite agreement, and we hope that everything will be sorted out so that we can have a perfect agreement soon,” Okowa said.

Speaking on the Golden League, Okowa stated that the athletes are doing well considering the fact that they are basically home-based, who are aiming to achieve world standard performances.

“You know a good number of them are up and coming, and we hope that before the trials two or three of them will achieve world standards,” he stated. The next AFN Golden League will hold in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State later in the month.

June 17, 2023