Nigeria’s opening day on the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo introduced blended fortunes, with athletes delivering contrasting outcomes throughout varied occasions.
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi competed strongly within the males’s shot put ultimate, however his throw of 21.52 metres left him ending fifth total.
Learn Additionally: Begin-Checklist Unveiled as Ajayi, Okon Set for Males’s 100m Semi-Remaining at World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025
American Ryan Crouser dominated the competitors, producing a season-best 22.34 metres to safe gold, whereas Mexico’s Munoz Uziel claimed silver with 21.97 metres.
Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri and New Zealand’s Tom Walsh each registered 21.94 metres, however Fabbri secured bronze via countback benefit, leaving Walsh upset.
Nigeria’s highlights emerged within the males’s 100 metres heats, the place two debutants, Kayinsola Ajayi and Sunday Okon, impressed spectators with robust performances.
Ajayi ran a private better of 9.88 seconds to complete second behind South Africa’s Present Leotlela, who posted 9.87 seconds quickest total.
Okon displayed confidence and composure in his first World Championships look, successful his warmth convincingly with 10.04 seconds to succeed in semi-finals.
Nevertheless, the ladies’s occasions provided much less cheer as Rosemary Chukwuma did not progress from the 100 metres heats, clocking 11.27 seconds solely.
Within the ladies’s lengthy soar, Nigeria’s hopes pale rapidly as Ese Brume struggled, recording 6.46 metres which left her outdoors qualification positions.
Debutant Prestina Ochonogor endured a disappointing outing, leaping 6.04 metres regardless of beforehand reaching the Olympic ultimate in Paris final 12 months, elevating considerations.
Nigeria’s day concluded with encouragement from the boys’s sprints however main considerations from ladies’s occasions, highlighting pressing want for stronger performances.
The opening day outcomes underline Nigeria’s potential in sprinting occasions however equally expose worrying weaknesses in area classes requiring rapid technical and psychological enchancment
