Home advantage meant little as host nation Nigeria placed third on the overall medals table at the 21st African Athletics Championships, behind Kenya and South Africa.
On the final day of the five-day event held in Asaba, Nigeria added three gold medals to finish with a total of nine golds, five silvers and five bronze, totaling 19 medals.
Grace Anigbata won gold in the women’s long jump, Glory Nathaniel added another gold medal in the women’s 400m hurdles, while the quartet of Patience Okon-George, Abike Egbeniyi, Shade Abugan, and Yinka Ajayi claimed the gold medal for Nigeria in the women’s 4X400m final.
In the men’s 200m, Divine Oduduru finished second, winning a silver medal for Nigeria, behind South African pair of Ncincilili Titi and Loxolo Adams, who clinched gold and bronze, respectively.
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Nigeria’s 4X400m men relay team won a bronze medal, finishing behind Kenya (gold) and South Africa (silver).
Other big Africa winners on the day included, Caster Semenya, who defended her women’s 800m final title and broke the African Championships record previously held by Maria Mutola, while Maria-Josee To Lou of Ivory Coast completed the golden double in the sprints at the competition, winning the 200m event.
It was a clean sweep for Kenya in the 3000m steeplechase, the trio of Beatrice Chepkpech, Celliphine Chespol and Cherono Fancy making it on to the podium in that order.
On the final medals table, overall winners Kenya finished with 11 gold, six silver and two bronze. South Africa came second with nine gold, 13 silver.