Ethiopia’s Jamal Mekonnen became the first gold medal winner at the African Senior Athletics Championship going on in Asaba, Nigeria. Mekonnen clocked 29.08.01 seconds to win the men’s 10,000m final decided Wednesday. His compatriot, Taige Giram Nait was second in a time of 29.11.09 seconds, while Ugandan’s Timothy Torotich settled for the bronze medal in the race with a time of 29.11.87 seconds.
The Kenyan runners, who were expected to mount a challenge for the medals, were visibly struggling to catch up with the chasing pack. One Kenyan official later blamed it on tiredness as their athletes only arrived in Asaba on Monday morning after two days of delay at the Lagos international airport.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the local organising committee for the championships, Solomon Ogba has showered praises on Zenith Bank and other sponsors of the continental event for putting their resources to ensure the competition was hosted by Nigeria.
Nigeria’s hopes of winning a medal in both the 100 metres and 200 metres events at the Athletics Championship were dampened on Wednesday by the decision of star sprinter, Blessing Okagbare, to pull out of the events.
It means Okagbare will not give Cote d’Ivoire’s Marie Ta Lou a fight in the sprints event. Fans were looking forward to a mouthwatering clash between Okagbare and Ta Lou, but the Nigerian record holder in the 100m and 200m did not run in the heats decided Wednesday. It was gathered that she might not run in the 200m and probably the relays later in the Championships.
Cote d’Ivoire’s Ta Lou, who is the leading woman in the world this season, is now expected to have a free ride to her first African Athletics Championships title with Ghana’s Janet Amponsah being the only athlete to pose a challenge. Ta Lou posted 11.25 seconds in the heats.
