Big Brother Naija star wins first Nigerian medal since 1996 in African Athletics Championship
Enekwechi claims gold in shot put as 4x400m teams claim bronze
Big Brother Naija star Mike Edwards delivered an impressive performance for Team Nigeria on the final day of the African Athletics Championship to pick up a Silver medal in the men’s high jump event.
The reality TV star became the first Nigerian to win a high jump medal at the African Athletics Championship since Anthony Idiata won silver in Cameroon in 1996.
31-year-old Mike Edwards was making his second appearance at the competition and reached a mark of 2.15m. His effort earned him second place on countback, with Algeria’s Hichem Bouhanoune claiming gold ahead of him with the same jump of 2.15m. South Africa’s Mpho Links also reached the 2.15m mark and picked up the bronze medal.
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi won gold and set a Championship record in the men’s shot-put event to claim his third gold in the competition since his debut in 2017. He successfully defended the title he won in Rabat in 2019.
Enekwechi launched his projectile to a distance of 21.20m, eclipsing the record of 21.08m he set in Asaba in 2018. His effort put him in first place ahead of South Africa’s Kyle Blignaut and Egypt’s Mohamed Magdy.
Enekwechi won gold for Team Nigeria alongside Sade Olatoye, Chioma Onyekwere, Tobi Amusan, and the women’s 4x100m team.
In the 4x400m relay, Nigeria’s male and female teams claimed bronze medals at the event in the competition. Johnson Nnamani, Chidi Okezie, Adeyemi Sikiru, and Emmanuel Ojeli won the bronze in the men’s category. The quartet of Deborah Oke, Queen Usunobun, Ella Onojuvwewo, and Patience George-Okon won bronze in the women’s category.
Team Nigeria finished in third place on the medals table behind South Africa and Kenya.
