By Toby TAIWO
It was a day of breathtaking speed, at the Athletics Commonwealth Games Trials in Delta State, as Favour Ashe announced himself as Nigeria’s next big sprint hope with a jaw-dropping 9.93 seconds in the men’s 100 metres.
The Delta-born athlete left the crowd in awe, becoming the only sprinter on the day to dip below 10 seconds. His explosive start and powerful finish sent a clear message: he is ready for the global stage.
Fakorede Nicholas Adekalu, representing Mississippi State University, wasn’t far behind, clocking a personal best of 9.98 seconds for second place. Chidera Ezeakor of Team Customs continued his fine form, finishing third in 10.03 seconds, another personal best. Teenager Tejiri Godwin of Bayelsa also impressed with 10.20 seconds, while former national champion Enoch Adegoke settled for fifth in 10.27 seconds.
One of the day’s biggest talking points came when AFN 2nd Vice President, Ayazu Akuchukwu, donated ₦1.6 million in memory of her late father, Ben Agazu, a known supporter of athletics.
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“My father was part of the journey towards this, so I felt I should continue with his legacy,” she said emotionally. “I see lots of medals waiting for us, and I’m sure the Nigerian team would make us proud at the Commonwealth.”
The generosity didn’t stop there. An anonymous donor gave ₦1 million, while Kunle Oguneye and Gbolahan Fatuga each donated ₦200,000 for the female and male 200m and 400m winners respectively.
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Hameed Adiou praised the National Sports Commission, saying, “I will have to give it to the Nigerian Sports Commission for this opportunity to witness this. The impressive success of today’s event shows their vision in youths.”
Three home-based athletes :Ashe, Ezeakor, and Godwin also qualified for the Ben Agazu Excellent in Athletics Prize, capping what many described as a memorable day for Nigerian athletics. With performances like these, the future looks bright indeed.
