Ashe, Nwankwo shine as records tumble at MTN Champs Lagos Relays

Lucy Nwankwo sprinted to victory in the women’s junior 100m final, clocking a personal best of 11.99 seconds to win gold on Day 2 of the MTN Champs Season 3 Lagos Continental Relays. 

The competition, held across the YabaTech and UNILAG sports complexes, featured a series of impressive performances from both emerging and elite Nigerian athletes.

Nwankwo led a strong field in the U20 category, with Mercy Ogbonna finishing second in 12.16 seconds, also a personal best. 

Azeezat Muhammed-Raji claimed the bronze medal in 12.18 seconds in what was a closely contested race. 

Other notable performances in the women’s junior 100m included Flore-Julie Krakere, who ran 11.86 seconds, and Janet Adesiyan, who finished in 11.90 seconds, further highlighting the promising talent in the youth ranks.

In the women’s senior 100m final, Team NSDC’s Iyanuoluwa Bada delivered a commanding performance to take gold with a personal best of 11.30 seconds.

Her winning time followed earlier rounds where she clocked 11.48 seconds in the heats and 11.38 seconds in the semifinals, setting three consecutive personal bests at the championship. 

“I’m happy to be here because there’s a competition for us to showcase ourselves outside of constant training,” Bada said after her win.

Olympic sprinter Favour Ashe lived up to expectations in his debut appearance at the MTN Champs, claiming gold in the men’s senior 100m final with a personal best of 10.28 seconds. The performance further cemented his status as one of Nigeria’s leading sprint talents.

Ashe made history in 2024 by becoming the first Nigerian man to run five sub-10-second times in the 100m, a milestone that underscores his rising profile on the global athletics stage. 

“I thank my mum, my dad, and my coaches. Being a champion means consistency, showing up, and competing to win every time,” Ashe said post-race.

Chidera Ezeakor and Thankgod Chinemerem Igube delivered impressive performances in the men’s 100m final, clocking personal bests of 10.38 seconds and 10.49 seconds respectively. 

In the field events, Victoria Ejembi of Arena Academy claimed silver in the women’s long jump, while the men’s high jump produced a surprise result as UNILAG student Isaac Atidade won gold for Team Eagle Sight in his first-ever competition.  

Season 3 of the MTN Champs Lagos Continental Relays continues through April 12, with the grand finale scheduled to hold at the Yaba College of Technology Sports Complex.