Day One of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan offered a rare of hope to Team Nigeria, despite some disappointing results.
The pair of Obiageri Amaechi and Chioma Onyekwere-Lyons failed to sparkle in the discuss event with disappointing throws below their best of over 60metres.
Similarly, double World championship medalist, Ese Brume also crashed out of the long jump event without making it to the final.
She had medalled in 2019 and in 2022 making her the first African to double medal in the event. Precious Ochonogor equally failed to make it to the final like Brume.
In the same light,Team Nigeria’s lone female entrant in the 100m, Rosemary Nwokocha also failed to make it to the semi final unlike her male counterparts.
The semi final ticket from the duo of Kanyisola Ajayi and national 100m champion, Isaac Okon was cheering news and raises hope of medal prospects.
Ajayi ran an impressive 9.88s personal best to finish second in his heat behind South Africa’s Gift Leotlela, who also ran a Personal Best of 9.87s,to make the semis,while Jamaica’s Oblique Seville was third in 9.93s.
Okon in his debut at the Worlds ran 10.04s to win the race and qualify for the semis, ahead of Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes (10.06s) and former Olympic champion, Lamont Marcell Jacobs (10.20s).
Ajayi’s electrifying run makes him the third-fastest Nigerian sprinter of all time behind Olusoji Fasuba (9.85s) and Divine Oduduru (9.86s).
The 21-year-old has also etched his name further in history, recording five sub-10s this season, the most by any Nigerian in a single year, and tying the all-time national record for most sub-10s in a career
The men’s 100m semifinals is set to be a thriller, with the Nigerian duo seeking podium finish. Ajayi will line up against Noah Lyles, Akani Simbine, Ackeem Blake, and Jacobs in Semi 1, while Okon faces Oblique Seville, Letsile Tebogo, Leotlela, Courtney Lindsey, Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, Romell Glave, and Andre De Grasse in Semi 3.
The National record holder in Shot Put, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi equally impressed in his event finishing fifth with a throw of 21.52m.
Nigeria’s quest for podium finish continues on Day 2 at the world’s.
