Nigeria is preparing to face a significant test at the 20th World Athletics Championships, set to begin this Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. Leading the nation’s medal ambitions is discus thrower Obiageri Pamela Amaechi, who previously earned a bronze at the Commonwealth Games.
Following a medal-less outing at the 2023 Championships in Budapest, Nigeria is eager to return to the podium. The squad, anchored by former World 100m hurdles champion Tobi Amusan and promising 400m hurdler Nathaniel Ezekiel, is targeting at least one medal this year.
Amaechi, 26, will kick off Nigeria’s participation as she competes in the discus throw qualifiers.
Placed in the first of two qualifying groups, Amaechi is set to compete against the current Commonwealth Games titleholder, Chioma Onyekwere-Lyons. Her recent personal best of 64.80m, achieved at ‘Throw Town’ in Ramona, Oklahoma, fuels her ambition to become the first Nigerian woman to advance to the World Championships final in discus.
Meanwhile, Ezekiel, who recently equaled his African record of 22.10m at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League, aims not only to reach the final but also to improve upon his eighth-place finish from 2019.
Joining the field events on the opening day are Ese Brume and Prestina Ochonogor. Ochonogor, the reigning African U20 champion and a finalist at the Paris Olympics, hopes to emulate Blessing Okagbare and Brume by becoming Nigeria’s third long jumper to claim a medal. To advance to the final, she must exceed her season best of 6.67m, ideally reaching her personal record of 6.79m amid a highly competitive field.
Brume, appearing in her fourth straight World Championships, will compete in the second qualifying group. Since 2017, she has consistently ranked among the top contenders and aims to match her personal best of 6.79m to secure a spot in the final.
On the track, three Nigerian athletes will make their debut on day one. Although the men’s 100m heats lineup is still pending, Rosemary Chukwuma has confirmed her place in lane 7 of the second heat. The 23-year-old faces tough rivals such as Poland’s Ewa Swoboda and seasoned British sprinter Dina Asher-Smith, as she strives to reach the semifinals for the second consecutive time.
Medal hopefuls Tobi Amusan and Nathaniel Ezekiel will enter competition on the following days, with Amusan racing on Day 2 and Ezekiel on Day 3 of the nine-day championship. Nigeria’s campaign will culminate on Day 7, coinciding with the finals of the men’s 400m hurdles and 200m events.
As anticipation builds in Tokyo, Nigeria’s athletes are under the spotlight, determined to secure vital medals and revive the nation’s standing in global athletics.
