March 20, (THEWILL) – A thrilling display of talent and determination, marked Nigeria’s mixed 4x400m relay team clinching a historic gold medal at the 2023 African Games in Ghana. The quartet of Emmanuel Ojeli, Patience Okon-George, Sikiru Adeyemi and Omolara Ogunmakinju exhibited steely drive, clocking an impressive 3:13.26 seconds to etch their names in the record books.
Making its debut appearance at the African Games, the Nigerian relay contingent left spectators in awe as they stormed to the podium’s top spot. Ogunmakinju, a 30-year-old Commonwealth Games silver medallist, dazzled the crowd with a breathtaking anchor leg, overcoming a 15-metre deficit to surge past the Botswana sprinter in the final 30 metres.
The path to gold was paved by Ojeli’s strong start, followed by Okon-George’s tenacious effort to fend off the threat posed by Botswana’s Lydia Jele. Adeyemi received the baton in the lead, but African 400m silver medallist Bayapo Ndori briefly snatched the advantage for Botswana before Ogunmakinju finished off a remarkable recovery to close the distance and seal Nigeria’s triumph.
Botswana’s relay team claimed a well-deserved national record of 3:13.99 seconds for their silver medal effort. The Kenyan quartet, led by world 800m champion Mary Moraa, won the bronze medal with a time of 3:18.03 seconds, rounding out the podium finishers.
The mixed 4x400m relay event’s debut at the African Games provided an electrifying spectacle, with Nigeria’s outstanding performance etching its name in the annals of the competition’s history.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
