SPRINT hurdler Tobi Amusan will lead Team Nigeria’s charge for track and field medals at the 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana, with fellow star Ese Brume also in the squad.
The women’s 100m hurdles world record holder tops the list of Nigerian competitors in athletics, which begins next week.
Amusan, who caused a global stir at the World Athletics Championship in 2022 by setting a new world record of 12.12 seconds and winning the title in Oregon, is listed in four events for the African Games.
The 26-year-old world champion will compete in her traditional 100m hurdles as well as the 100m flat, the 200m and the 4x100m relay, according to the list released by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria yesterday.
Along with Amusan, Team Nigeria will be represented in the women’s 100m hurdles by Faith Osamuyi and Stella Ayanleke, while five other athletes will also compete in 100m flat, 200m and 4x100m relays.
Another global star in the Team Nigeria athletics squad is Olympics and World Athletics Championship medallist Brume, who will compete in women’s long jump along with Ruth Usoro (who will also take part in triple jump) and Pristina Ochonogor.
Team Nigeria will participate in men’s and women’s 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 4x100m and 4x400m relays, as well as long jump, high jump, shot put and javelin.
There are several absences due to the American collegiate circuit, including rising sprinter Favour Ofili, who was part of the relay team that won gold at the last African Games in 2019 in Rabat, Morocco.
The athletics event of the African Games will be held at the University of Ghana Sports Complex starting from Monday.
