Olympian Adegoke, Ojeli, Adeyemi to headline athletics outdoor meet
TOKYO Olympics’ 100m finalist, Enoch Adegoke, tops the list of elite athletes who have registered for the 2024 Dynamic Athletics Outdoor Meet scheduled to hold on January 27 at the Nigerian Navy Sports Complex, Ojo, Lagos. Adegoke made history in 2021 as the first Nigerian man in 25 years to run in the final of the 100m event at the Olympics after Davidson Ezinwa in 1996.
The 22- year- old will be seeking to repeat the roller coaster ride he had in 2021 when he became the first wholly home- based male athlete in recent memory to qualify for the Olympics in the sprint event.
Adegoke started his 2021 fairytale run with a 10.16 seconds world leading run ( at the time) achieved at the AFN All- Comers meet in Akure at the end of January.
That set the tone for his incredible run, which fetched him a 100m gold at the National Sports Festival in Edo State and the Nigerian championship title inlagos, running a then second fastest winning time of 10.00 seconds, after Deji Aliu, who ran 9.98 seconds to win in 2003.
The 2019 African U- 20 100m champion will be hoping to start his 2024 season in like manner and the Dynamic Athletics Outdoor Meet is giving him the platform to do just that.
Also confirmed for the meet is another Olympian, Ifeanyi Ojeli and African Games relay medalist, Sikiru Adeyemi.
Reigning Nigeria 100m queen, Blessing Ogundiran has also registered for the first athletics meet in Nigeria in 2024 approved by World Athletics. Also set to be at the Nigerian Navy Sports Complex is veteran quarter miler, Patience Okon George, who will be seeking to make her third appearance at theOlympics.
Meanwhile, the meet has received endorsement from a number of former internationals, reputable coaches and sports administrators.
Nigeria 100m record holder, Olusoji Fasuba, long jump record holder, Yusuf Ali, and veteran coach, Tony Osheku, are among those who have backed the meet.
Others include Athletics Federation of Nigeria Performance Director, Victor Okorie and 2010 Commonwealth Games 100 finalist, Peter Emelieze.