Nigeria’s Alaba Akintola delivered a commanding performance at the Meeting Arcobaleno in Italy, signaling a strong return to form ahead of the Nigerian Athletics Trials scheduled for later this month in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The promising sprinter clinched double victories in the men’s 100m and 200m events, underlining his readiness for stiffer competition on home soil.
Akintola stormed to victory in the 100m, clocking the fastest time across all eleven heats with 10.35s despite a challenging headwind of -2.2 m/s. His blistering run in Heat 11 saw him outpace Jamaica’s Michael Campbell, who finished second in 10.43s, and Cuba’s Reynaldo Espinosa, who placed third in 10.46s.
Maintaining his momentum, Akintola returned to dominate the 200m, again producing the quickest time overall. He secured first place in the final heat, crossing the line in 20.61s to complete a memorable sprint double in Italy.
The outing is a major confidence boost for the 22-year-old athlete as he fine-tunes his preparations for the Nigerian Olympic Trials in Abeokuta
Akintola, a product of the University of Alabama and a former African Games medalist, is widely tipped as one of Nigeria’s brightest prospects in the sprints. His recent exploits in Europe suggest he is peaking at the right time.
