TEAM Nigeria sprinters, Kanyisola Ajayi and Israel Okon, were the country’s stars at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan today.
On a disappppointing opening day for Nigeria, Ajayi and Okon qualified for the men’s 100m semi-finals in impressive style.
Ajayi had the faster time of the pair, coming second in his heat in a blistering 9.88 seconds.
The time is the third fastest in Nigerian history, behind Olusoji Fasuba’s national record of 9.85s and Divine Oduduru’s 9.86s.
It is also the second fastest time returned in Tokyo on Satuday, bettered only by Gift Leotlela’s 9.87s.
On his part, Okon won his heat in a time of 10.04s, beating Great Britain star Zharnel Hughes (10.06s), while Lamont Marcell Jacobs of Italy finished third in 10.20s.
Also today, Nigeria’s Rosemary Chukwuma was eliminated in the opening round of the women’s 100m after she clocked 11.27s to place fifth in her heat.
Eugene 2022 World Championships silver medallist Ese Brume missed out on a place in the women’s long jump final.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medallist, who was involved in a life-threaning car crash last year, failed to qualify for the final for the first time since 2017 with her 6.46m effort.
Young jumper Prestina Ochonogor, making her debut in the global competition, also dropped out in the first round with her 6.05m leap after two failed attempts.
Discus throwers Chioma Onyekwere-Lyons and Obiageri Pamela Amaechi also failed to advance to their event’s final.