The 24th African Senior Athletics Championships will begin today in Accra, Ghana, with Team Nigeria aiming to make an early statement as the country continues its quest to return to the top of African athletics for the first time since finishing overall champions in Porto Novo, Benin Republic, in 2012.
Excitement and expectation have surrounded the Nigerian camp ahead of the opening day, especially with several of the country’s top athletes set to compete in key events.
Attention will first be focused on the field events, where Nigeria is expected to challenge strongly for gold medals. Chukwuebuka Enekwechi will once again carry the nation’s hopes in the men’s shot put as he targets a historic fourth consecutive African title.
The powerful thrower arrives in Ghana as the African leader in the event and remains one of the favourites to finish on top once again. Should victory be secured, Enekwechi would become the first athlete in the history of the Championships to win the men’s shot put title in four straight editions since his winning streak began in 2018.
Nigeria’s hopes in the women’s discus will also rest heavily on Amaechi Obiageri, who has steadily climbed the podium in recent editions. After winning bronze in 2022 and silver in 2024, a push for gold will now be made in Accra.
Obiageri also enters the Championships as Africa’s top ranked athlete in the event this season. Confidence has therefore been boosted within the Nigerian camp that another gold medal could be added to the country’s growing legacy in the women’s discus competition.
Nigeria’s dominance in the event stretches back to 2012 when Chinwe Okoro ended South African athlete Elizna Naude’s run of four straight titles. Another victory by Obiageri would further strengthen Nigeria’s reputation in the discipline.
Meanwhile, redemption will be sought on the track in both the men’s and women’s 100 metres and 400 metres events, areas where Nigeria has struggled for continental success in recent years.
The men’s 100 metres title has not been won by a Nigerian since Olusoji Fasuba completed his remarkable hat trick in 2008. In the women’s race, the last Nigerian champion was Blessing Okagbare, who secured her second title in Marrakech in 2014.
Favour Ashe will lead Nigeria’s challenge in the men’s sprint event, although the field is expected to be highly competitive. In the women’s race, however, optimism has been raised by the form of Rosemary Chukwuma.
Chukwuma enters the Championships as the African leader after running 10.95 seconds this season. She is widely regarded as one of the strongest contenders for gold and will be joined by Miracle Ezechukwu and Maria Thompson Omokwe in a strong Nigerian sprint squad.
The men’s 400 metres also carries emotional significance for Team Nigeria as the country attempts to end a 28 year wait for another African champion in the event.
The last Nigerian man to achieve the feat was Clement Chukwu, whose championship record run of 44.65 seconds secured gold in Dakar, Senegal, in 1998.
This time, Chidi Okezie will be trusted with the responsibility of rewriting history. Confidence around Okezie has grown after he ended another long standing drought two years ago on the same track by becoming the first Nigerian in 38 years to win the African Games 400 metres title since Innocent Egbunike in 1987.
Although a difficult challenge lies ahead, belief within the camp remains strong.
In the women’s 400 metres, veteran quarter miler Patience Okon George will lead Nigeria’s push for success. The experienced runner, who claimed bronze a decade ago, will hope to finally capture gold and become the first Nigerian woman to win the African title since Folashade Abugan achieved the feat 12 years ago.
There will also be huge attention on world record holder Tobi Amusan as the women’s 100 metres hurdles competition gets underway.
Amusan, who previously won the African title in 2018 and 2022, missed out on retaining her crown two years ago in Cameroon because of illness. However, she now returns fully fit and determined to reclaim her place at the top.
A difficult challenge is expected from South African rival Marione Fourie, who currently leads the African rankings this year with a time of 12.67 seconds.
Although Amusan has yet to compete in the hurdles this season, her experience and pedigree continue to make her one of the favourites. The Nigerian star currently holds a 3-2 head to head advantage over Fourie, though defeats were suffered in their last two meetings at the Wanda Diamond League events in China in 2025.
Amusan will now hope to respond strongly in Accra and become only the third Nigerian woman after Maria Usifo and Glory Alozie to win three African sprint hurdles titles.
Fourie, meanwhile, will be chasing her first continental crown after losing to Amusan in Mauritius in 2022. Four athletes from Africa have already broken the 13 second barrier this year, with Fourie leading the list.
Nigeria will also be represented in the event by Adaobi Tabugbo, who has posted a season’s best of 13.01 seconds, while Janet Sunday enters with a best time of 13.67 seconds.
With several medal contenders already in action on the opening day, hopes remain high that Nigeria can make a strong start in Accra and begin a serious push to reclaim continental dominance in athletics once again.
