Dawn of a new period as African games end

Up-and-coming athletes have made their mark in numerous sports activities, sparking hopes of a vivid future. Here, we check out the rising talents who shone in Ghana…

Obiageri Amaechi (Discus, 25)

In the discus throw, Amaechi, who turned 25 just 11 days ago, struck gold and a private better of 58.93m on her remaining throw in the discus ladies’ occasion.

Esther Joseph (400m, 20)

Joseph has a reputation we will not forget anytime quickly after she introduced herself to the world in gorgeous style in her first main worldwide championship for Nigeria.

She achieved three private bests in all three races, proving that she could compete among the finest globally.

All her 400m races in Ghana have been sub-52 seconds, and she capped it off by clinching a silver medal in the ladies’ 400m with a formidable 51.64 seconds.

Pristina Ochonogor (Lengthy leap, 17)

At 17, Ochonogor snatched bronze in the ladies’ long leap event, showcasing her expertise and dedication with a leap of 6.67m. This feat guarantees a vivid future.

Going up towards the girl whose sneakers she would doubtlessly be filling, Ese Brume, she held her personal to win a medal whereas Brume expectedly claimed the gold.

Olayinka Olajide (100m, 200m, relays, 21)

Olajide’s exceptional debut at the African Video Games ended with her returning home with each of the three colours of medals on the show: gold, silver, and bronze.

She clocked a private better of 23.18secs (-2.6) to finish second and win a silver medal in the ladies’ 200m race, adding to her assortment of medals that includes bronze in the ladies’ 100 m and gold in the 4x100m relays.

Take into account Ekanem (100m, 200m, 19)

The quick-rising star, who burst onto the scene in late 2023, Take into account, at 19, claimed his first worldwide medal.

He gave it his all in the males’ 200 m final to win a bronze medal, showcasing his potential as a rising athletic star.

Mausi Zannu (Arm-wrestling, 22)

In an exceptional feat that etched her title on the pages of African sports activities’ historical past, Zannu secured arm-wrestling’s first-ever gold medal on the inaugural arm-wrestling competitors on the Video games.

Competing within the fiercely contested 55kg left-hand senior ladies’ occasion, Zannu displayed distinctive ability, power and dedication to clinch the coveted gold, marking a groundbreaking second for Nigerian arm-wrestling.

Edidiong Umoafia (Weightlifting, 21)

Umoafia posted a dominant efficiency in video games in Ghana, claiming three gold medals.

Umoafia, competing for the primary time within the males’ 67kg class, swept the rostrum by profitable gold in all three disciplines: snatch, clean & jerk, and whole.

He showcased his spectacular power with a 135kg raise within the snatch and a 165kg raise within the clean & jerk for a mixed whole of
300kg.

Ruth Ayodele (Weightlifting, 23)

Ayodele showcased her power and ability in weightlifting by claiming three golds in the snatch, clean and jerk, and whole classes, establishing herself as a rising star in the sport.

She lifted 94kg in snatch, 144kg in clean and jerk, and 208 kg in complete, to say all three gold were at stake.

Pleasure Eze (Weightlifting, 19)

Competing in her second African game, Teenager Eze moved as much as a brand new weight class and turned into a champion in it. She was distinctive in her new 71kg class, claiming all three gold medals by snatching 90kg, 117kg in clean and jerk and a total of 207.

Abayomi Adeyemi (Weightlifting, 21)

Adeyemi’s commendable efficiency in the males’ 106kg weightlifting class saw him win three medals—bronze in the whole (341kg) and snatch (151kg) class, whereas he claimed silver in the clear and jerk (190kg), thus establishing himself as one to be careful for in the near future.

Esther Kolawole (Wrestling, 22)

Another African Video games debutant, Kolawole is a rising star on the planet of African wrestling at the age of 22.

Kolawole, who received the African Youth Video Games and the Nationwide Sports Activities Pageant gold medals in 2018, earlier than claiming an African Wrestling Championships gold in 2020, has by no means proven indicators of slowing down.

She additionally boasts a bronze medal in the 2022 Commonwealth Video Games and silver at the 2023 African Championships. Her gold medal win within the 62kg occasion in Ghana is unquestionably a primary of many African Video games gold medals to return.

Christianah Ogunsanya (Wrestling, 22)

Ogunsanya made her African Video games debut in Ghana, clinching gold in the 53kg weight class.

Ogunsanya’s precision and power have secured her a spot among the many elite female wrestlers, and her gold medal achievement is a testament to her dedication and potential.

Stephen Izolo, Wrestling, 19

Whereas the ladies all received gold, the boys needed to accept silver and bronze, and Stephen Izolo, who was making his debut, ensured he acquired the following finest medal in addition to gold.

Izolo made a determined run to the final and received his silver medal in the 65kg event following a 10-0 loss to Mourad Omar of Egypt.

Pleasure Ojo (Boxing, 22)

Ojo’s gold medal victory in boxing contributes to Nigeria’s success in the African Video games, a sign that girls’ boxing is on the rise within the nation following the heroic shows of different ladies’ boxers in Ghana.

The 22-year-old was dominant throughout the competition and hardly put a punch fallacious, beating all her opponents on her way to gold. She, nevertheless, received the ultimate without a struggle as she claimed a walkover win over Algerian Selmouni Chahira within the ladies’ 57kg class.

Dolapo Omole (Boxing, 24)

Already certified for the Paris Olympics, Omole was a favourite before the competitors began, and he ensured he claimed two knockout wins on his way to the gold medal.

He saved the most effective for the final by securing a spherical one KO wins towards Armando Rugoberto of Mozambique within the males’ 57kg class to cement his standing as a frontrunner for the following technology of Nigerian boxers.