The 2019 World Athletics Championships begin in Doha on Friday (today) with Team Nigeria being represented by 25 athletes.
Team Nigeria go into the competition with a mixture of experienced and new athletes hoping to break grounds.
Blessing Okagbare
With a 100m Season’s Best of 11.04secs and 200m SB of 22.05secs, Okagbare will be Nigeria’s sole representative in both events. She would also lead the charge for the country in the women’s 4x100m.
Divine Oduduru
Oduduru is one of the best sprinters in the world. He is the first Nigerian sprinter to break the sub-10secs barrier in over a decade. He holds a Personal Best of 9.86secs in 100m. He will be making his debut at the World Championships in Doha.
Tobi Amusan
Amusan is a strong medal hopeful for Nigeria in women’s 100m hurdles. With a PB of 12.49secs. She is the current African champion.
Raymond Ekevwo
Ekevwo announced himself to the World at the African Games men’s 100m with a personal best of 9.96secs, thereby becoming Africa’s fastest man. Now known in Nigeria and Africa, the 20-year-old has all in him to pull probably the biggest upset in World Championships history, by winning the title.
Usheoritse Itsekiri
Itsekiri is Nigeria’s third representative in the men’s 100m. He will be hoping to run his first sub-10secs in Doha. His brilliant run of 10.02secs to win the bronze medal at the African Games, is a personal best and third fastest in Nigeria.
Ese Brume
Brume is ranked second in women’s long jump on IAAF world list. The 2014 Commonwealth Games and reigning African champion with a PB of 7.05m is a potential medallist in Doha.
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi
Enekwechi will be making his second consecutive appearance at the World Championships. He is the country’s only representative in Shot put. He has thrown above the 21m mark nine times this year. He is among world’s top 10 best throwers with his PB of 21.80m.
Emmanuel Arowolo
He will be competing in men’s 200m alongside Oduduru. His PB of 20.37secs is at present the fastest by a Nigerian home-based athlete. He won the Cameroon Grand Prix. With his experience of the 2018 Commonwealth Games and African Championships, World Relays and African Games, Arowolo is a medal hopeful for Nigeria.
Chioma Onyekwere
Onyekwere won her first African title in Asaba in 2018, and also did same at the recently concluded African Games in Rabat. She got an invitation with a PB of 60.75m.
Patience Okon-George
Okon-George has competed at every major international championship since 2014. The experienced quartermiler will be participating in her third consecutive appearance at World Championships level.
With a SB of 51.66secs, she is expected to lead Nigeria’s 4×400 women’s team.
Favour Ofili
17-year-old Ofili is one of Nigeria’s youngest athlete in history that will compete at the World Championships. She qualified for Doha after running a PB of 51.68secs to win 400m silver medal at African Games in Rabat. She is number two on IAAF World U-18 list and took part at the 2019 World Relays.
