Abeokuta: President of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA), Hamad Kalkaba, has praised Nigeria for its burgeoning pool of young sprinters, highlighting the nation’s continued dominance in sprinting. Kalkaba’s remarks were made during a news conference at the closing ceremony of the 3rd CAA U-18/U-20 African Athletics Championships held in Abeokuta.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the championships displayed a high level of technical skill with impressive performances across various events, including sprinting, middle-distance races, throwing, and jumping. South Africa emerged as the leader with the most medals, while other nations also showcased their abilities.
The competition saw participation from 940 athletes, with 362 competing in the U-18 category and 578 in the U-20 events. Kalkaba highlighted standout performances, such as Botswana’s Justice Oratile clocking 45:38s in the U-20 400 meters, with three others finishing under 46s in the event. South Africa’s Temoso Masikane achieved a 16.03-meter leap in the U-20 Triple Jump, while Nigeria’s Honour Clement cleared 2.10 meters in the High Jump.
Nigeria’s Favour Ongah completed the women’s 400 meters in 52 seconds, and Prestina Ochonogor recorded a 6.7-meter jump in the Long Jump. Kalkaba noted the emergence of a strong new generation of African athletes, with Algeria and Egypt reaffirming their supremacy in throwing events, Kenya maintaining its consistency in middle-distance running, and South Africa excelling in hurdles.
The CAA president expressed gratitude to the Nigerian government for stepping in to host the event after Algeria was unable to meet the necessary requirements, while also noting that Algeria is set to host the 2027 edition.
