.…15 events final to be decided on Day 2
By Maxwell Kumoye in Abeokuta
Fifteen events will be concluded on Day 2 of the 3rd edition of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) U-18/U-20 Championships going on in Abeokuta, Ogun State, South-West, Nigeria.
Nine of the final are in the Girls U-18 and U-20 categories, six in the Boys U-18 and U-20 categories while the 4x400m mixed relay will cap the day’s activities.
Day 2 action will begin with the start of the U-18 decathlon’s 100m event, followed by the U-18, 110m and 100m Boys hurdles heats and well as well semi-finals of the Boys and 100m Girls U-18 U-20. The semi-finals of the 400m of the U-18 Boys event in the morning session that begins by 10.30am.
All eyes will be on Nigeria’s Rosemary Nwankwo and Miriam Adefunke Jegede as they seek for a place in the U-18 girls’ final but they have to contend with Nigerian born South Africa’s Oluchi Abelwe Ndubueze, Gladys Boukama of Congo.
Miracle Ezechukwu’s 11.79s was the fastest time in the heats with South Africa’s Oluchi Abelwe Ndubueze clocking 11.93s and Rosemary Nwankwo 11.99s.
The boys field in the U-18 and U-20 categories is very strong as South Africa, Zimbabwe Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire are giving the home boys – Nigeria a very stiff neck and neck race.
KEY EVENTS ON DAY 2
15 events final
8 females
6 males
1 mixed relay
★ U-18 GIRLS FINAL
Discus
3000m
Pole Vault
High Jump
100m
★ U-20 GIRLS FINAL
Pole Vault
Javelin
100m
★ U-18 BOYS FINAL
100m
2000 Steeple Chase
Long Jump
★ U-20 BOYS FINAL
Shot Put
1500m
100m
★ MIXED RELAY U-20
4x400m
SOME RESULTS ON DAY 1
WOMEN’S U-18 TRIPLE JUMP FINAL
Zongo Zalissa -BUR 12.79m
Merzaq Kawtar – MAR 12.61m
Chniba Feriel – TUN 12.16m
WOMEN’S U-20 TRIPPLE JUMP FINAL
Belkhadar Nassima – MAR 12.63m
Zongo Awa – BUR 12.52m
Temoso Masikane – RSA 12.20m
Meanwhile, Uganda’s Bentalin Yeko claimed victory in the U20 women’s 3000m finals at the ongoing CAA African U-18 and U-20 Combined Athletics Championships in Abeokuta, Nigeria.
Trhas Gebrehiwet Ethiopia won silver and Joyline Chepkemoi of Kenya completes the podium.
Kenya nade a clean sweep of the U-18 boys and girls 1500m races.
The U-18 and U-20 girls Triple Jump titles were shared between Morocco and Burkina Faso.
Zongo Zalissa with a leap of 12.79m gave Burkina Faso it first gold medal at the Championships while Belkhadar Nassima of Morocco took the gold in the U-20.
Praise Ikweki has won bronze medal in High Jump event being the first medal for the country.
The continental showpiece witnessed the finals of high jump, triple jump and 1500m and the 100m heat for both males and females categories.
Ikwesi, who paired with Melvin Ododo, started from 1.80m, achieving perfect record until a near missed at 2.03m before he won his third attempt to scale to the next round.
He missed his three attempts at 2.06m after hitting the pole, paving the way for South Africa’s Mateo Le Roux, who won the gold.
