MTN CHAMPS Grand Final: Adegoke, Ezeakor tie in 100m as Omokwe wins women’s race

The second day of action at the MTN CHAMPS Grand Final in Ibadan produced thrilling performances, with the 100m finals in both junior and senior categories delivering standout moments and a wave of personal bests.

Attention in the senior men’s race had focused on Enoch Adegoke, Chidera Ezeakor and Tejiri Godwin after strong showings in the heats. Godwin had set the early pace with a personal best of 10.29 seconds, while Ezeakor and Adegoke followed closely with 10.31s and 10.34s, respectively.

The final, however, surpassed expectations. Adegoke and Ezeakor both crossed the line in an identical time of 10.15 seconds in a dramatic finish, with the result also marking a new personal best for Ezeakor. Osama Chibueze finished third with a lifetime best of 10.35 seconds.

In the women’s final, Maria Omokwe delivered a commanding performance, racing to a personal best of 11.26 seconds to win the title. Her time matches the fastest recorded on Nigerian soil this year, equalling Miracle Ezechukwu’s mark.

Omokwe had earlier shown her form in the semi-finals, lowering her personal best to 11.35 seconds before improving further in the final. Janet Sunday finished second with a personal best of 11.66 seconds, while Omoyemi Ajayi-Bibilomo placed third in 11.69 seconds, also a lifetime best.

The junior events also produced impressive performances. In the women’s race, Ejiro Peter claimed victory in 11.39 seconds, having earlier recorded a faster 11.29 seconds in the semi-finals. Chigozie Rosemary Nwankwo (11.48s) and Lucy Nwankwo (11.57s) completed the podium.

In the junior men’s 100m final, Abdulrahman Jimoh ran a personal best of 10.57 seconds to secure gold. Liberty Okon followed in 10.62 seconds, also a personal best, while Alvin Onyeama finished third in 10.66 seconds.

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Elsewhere, Ndiponke Okure, Sodiq Adebisi and Olorunwa Olowu finished as the top three in the senior men’s 400m hurdles. In the junior category, Oseiwe Salami impressed with a personal best of 51.60 seconds to win gold, ahead of Ibrahim Muhammed and Solomon Eloghosa Okundaye.

The performances underline the growing depth in Nigerian athletics, with both established names and emerging talents showing strong form.