Nigeria’s women high jump record holder,
Doreen Amata, was again in top form at the weekend, as she qualified for the
2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing when she leapt a height of 1.94m to
win the event in Dakar, Senegal.
Amata,
who leaped a height of 1.90m at the Drake Relays recently, created her latest
feat at the World Challenge/Meeting Internationale D’Athlétisme de Dakar held
at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor on Saturday.
Also
winning her event (400m) same day was George Patience Okon, who returned in
52.12secs but could not meet the standard (52.00secs) set by the IAAF for the
World Championships while another Nigerian, Ogoegbunam Amaka returned in
54.06secs to take the 4th position in the event.
In the women 100m
event, Ezealah, Nkem came 3rd with
11.54. The event was won by Ta Lou Marie-Josee of Cote d’ Ivoire in 11.08 while
Wilson, Kenyanna of the USA came 2nd in
11.51secs.
However, national
champion in the men 100m event, Mark Jelks was dusted in the 100m event as
finished in the 5th position
in 10.20secs while returning in 20.88secs in the 200m event to take the 3rd position.
In
reaction, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has commended Amata for her
good performance in Dakar, and the body’s president, Evangelist Solomon Ogba
said he believes she will do better this season,
Ogba
believed that by July when most Nigerian athletes will be home for the Warri
Relay, CAA Super Grand Prix and AFN/CRS All Nigeria Athletics Championships,
Amata will do better,
The
AFN boss also advised that Nigerian young athletes should move closer to Amata
to learn the secret of her resilience, commitment, patience and hard work.
“This
is a World Championship and the All Africa Games year and I am very happy with
her performance. She is in good shape and form at the right time and I am
highly excited that one of our best athlete is doing very well.
“I
foresee her jumping above 2m a few weeks before the World Championships, with
that mark she could make the final and in the final of any athletics event,
anything can happen.
“I
am not saying she will win a medal, but she has very good chance of getting to
the final and in the final; don’t bet against any athlete, especially
experienced ones like Amata,” Ogba stated.
No comments:
Post a Comment