Oyeleke strikes gold as Nigeria dominates African Run Archery debut

Nigeria delivered a commanding performance at the first-ever Run Archery Tournament in Africa, sending a clear message about the country’s growing strength in this exciting sport.

The historic competition, held at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan on 15 and 16 November, brought together athletes from across West Africa for a thrilling display of endurance, precision, and speed.

Nigeria’s representatives from Zen Archery Club, Lagos, emerged as the standout performers of the weekend.

In the Individual Sprint, Emmanuel Oyeleke combined explosive running with precise shooting to claim the Gold Medal for Nigeria. Close behind, teammate Tola Adebayo-Lateef put in an equally impressive performance to take Silver.

Obo Cedric of Côte d’Ivoire completed the podium, taking Bronze for the host nation.

Nigeria’s success continued in the Team Relay Sprint, where Oyeleke and Tola joined forces for a flawless, coordinated run.

They outpaced and outshot their competitors to secure another Gold Medal for the country.

Their teamwork, discipline, and competitive spirit were evident as they powered through the course with precision.

The Abidjan tournament marks a significant milestone as the first official Run Archery event on African soil.

With Nigeria’s medal sweep, the country has positioned itself as a pioneering force in the sport on the continent.

Speaking after the races, the athletes expressed pride and gratitude. Oyeleke said: “This is a historic moment not just for us, but for Nigeria and African archery. We’re honoured to carry the flag and show what is possible, we thank the organisers the Ivorian Archery Federation for the opportunity, we thank World Archery and facilitators of the seminar and competition, we have learnt a lot.”

READ ALSO: Organisers hail success of 2025 ARCH Archery Open in Abuja

Action in Abidjan

Run Archery, a fast-growing hybrid sport that combines competitive running with archery, is expanding rapidly around the world. Nigeria’s victories in Abidjan highlight the country’s potential to take a leading role in Africa.

With these achievements, Nigeria and Zen Archery have sparked excitement, inspired new athletes, and set the stage for the sport’s growth at home.

It was a golden weekend for Nigerian archery and a strong start for African Run Archery.