Mixed fortunes for Nigeria as hunt for medals begins in Peru

Team Nigeria’s medal chase at the 2024 World U-20 Championships in Lima, Peru, began yesterday, with the nation’s long jumper, Prestina Oluchi Ochonogor hitting the final after finishing second in her heat of the event.

Ochonogor made a lead jump of 6.28m after the second jump, but Spain’s Laura Martínez came with a 6.37m jump in her second attempt to push the Nigerian to the second spot.  

All eyes will be on Ochonogor this morning as she attempts to win gold in the long jump event. She has a season’s best of 6.79m.

Nigeria’s only individual Olympic gold medalist, Chioma Ajunwa did not jump to the podium when she took part in the competition in 1990 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Her 6.46m effort landed her in fifth place.

Blessing Okagbare followed in Ajunwa’s footsteps, although she did not make it to the final in Beijing in the 2006 edition of the World U-20 Championships. She, however, returned to the same city two years later to pick an Olympic Games silver medal in the same event.

Ese Brume, one of only two Nigerians to win medals at all global Championships and Games, was also not a success at the U-20 level, as she followed the path cleared by Ajunwa and Okagbare.

Yesterday’s opening day in Lima, Peru was not good for Nigeria’s 4x400m mixed relay.

The country finished third in heat two of the event behind Jamaica and Germany, who got the automatic tickets.

Team Nigeria’s 4×400 mixed relay squad comprising Oseiwe Salami, Odot Effiong Udo, Gafari Badmus, and Favour Onyah ran a season’s best time of 3:25.59s.
 
In the women’s 100m, Tianna Eyakpobeyan made it in 11.61 seconds to place third and qualify for the semifinals from her heat, while Chioma Cynthia Nweke ran a disappointing 12.24 seconds to finish sixth in her heat and crashed out.

In the men’s race, Chidera Ezeakor crashed out after running 10.92 to finish seventh in the second heat, while Okon Israel Sunday, won his heat in 10.48 seconds.