Nigerian sprinter Chidi Okezie delivered a solid performance in the heats of the men’s 200m at the African Athletics Championships in Ghana, finishing second in his race with a time of 21.33 seconds.
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The experienced quarter-miler and sprinter stayed competitive throughout the closely contested heat but was narrowly edged by Ghana’s Marizuk Shaibu, who crossed the line first in 21.24 seconds in front of the home crowd.
Okezie’s performance keeps Team Nigeria firmly in contention in the sprint event as the championships continue, with the Nigerian showing composure and control despite the challenging competition.
Meanwhile, fellow Nigerian athlete James Taiwo Emmanuel competed in Heat 2 of the men’s 200m, where he finished fourth after clocking 21.63 seconds.
The race was won by Botswana’s Kevin Lobatlamang in an impressive 21.02 seconds. Togo’s Medard Nayo Kossi followed in second position with 21.42 seconds, while Kenya’s Elkana Sabila Kiprotich finished closely behind in 21.43 seconds.
Although Taiwo missed out on a top-three finish in his heat, his effort reflected determination against a highly competitive field featuring some of the continent’s emerging sprint talents.
The African Athletics Championships continues to provide a major platform for athletes across Africa to compete at elite level, with Nigeria fielding a strong contingent across various track and field events.
For Team Nigeria, performances from athletes like Chidi Okezie and James Taiwo Emmanuel underline the country’s depth in sprinting events as preparations continue toward bigger international competitions later in the season.
