Newly crowned African Senior Athletics Championships gold medallist, Justina Tiana Eyakpobeyan, feel she has the quality and energy to wrestle power from established athletes in battle for gold medal at the Olympics Games.

 
“Haven competed with World best athletes at the last World Championships in Budapest, and at the World Relays in Bahamas this year, my confidence level has increased,” Eyakpobeyan told The Guardian at Noubou Hotel before her departure from Douala. “Very soon, I will mount the podium at the Olympics Games to celebrate my gold medal. That is my dream, and it will surely come to pass.”
   
At the Japoma International Stadium in Douala, all eyes were on the 18-year-old Eyakpobeya, when the Nigerian women’s 4x100m relay squad lined up against their counterparts from other African countries in the final.
 
A bold and confident Eyakpobeyan started the race, flying on the track to overpower her challengers. She handed over baton to Tima Godbless, who in turn, ran a great race to hand over to Olayinka Olajide. By the time World Record Holder in the 100m hurdles, Tobi Amusan, received the baton, the job was almost completed, thanks to the great job by Eyakpobeyan and co. Tobi Express, as she is fondly called by her fans, ‘strolled’ to the finish to hand Team Nigeria the fourth gold in Douala.
 
Eyakpobeyan ran a similar race at the World Relays in Bahamas earlier this year to help Nigeria’s 4x100m team secure its ticket to the Paris Olympics.
 
The young Eyakpobeyan hit limelight at the National U18 and U20 trials in Kaduna, last year, where she won both the 100m and 200m title. In Kaduna, she ran a lifetime best of 11.35secs to win the U18 100m title and Personal Best (PB) of 23.58sec in the 200m.
 
Eyakpobeyan told The Guardian that she would give the coming Paris Olympics the best approach it deserves.
 
“At the moment, our 4x100m relay team is one of the best in the World. We understand one another, but we still need to train together and perfect our baton exchange in readiness for Paris.
 
“Irrespective of what happen in Paris, I have the confidence that I will become Olympics Champion and World Champion one day. It will happen very soon because I believe in God’s work and my strength,” the Delta State-born athlete said.
 
Apart from making a sprint double in Kaduna, last year, Eyakpobeyan was the most sought after athlete at the 4th MoC Grand Prix in Yabatech, Lagos, in June this year, where she ran a new Personal Best (PB) of 11.24s (+0.9) to win the 100m title. She broke the PB she set at the Commonwealth Youth Games last year in Trinidad & Tobago.
 
And at the last African Games in Accra, Ghana this year, Eyakpobeyan emerged as Nigeria’s most celebrated young athlete. She was the leadoff athlete, piloting the 4x100m quartet to grab a gold on Day 4.Since 2018, the Nigerian women’s 4x100m team have never disappointed at major tournament, and Eyakpobeyan says their best is yet to come.