Nigerian sprinter and Tokyo 2020 Olympic 100m finalist Enoch Adegoke looks to return to the Nigerian team for the Paris 2024 Games after running a season’s best of 10.20s at the MTN Champs athletics meet in Ibadan on Saturday, latest reports.
Adegoke made a statement on Day 2 of the competition by winning the men’s 100m final in 10.20s, his fastest time in nearly three years since limping off in the final of the men’s 100m in Tokyo on August 1, 2021.
One of Nigeria’s 4x100m gold-winning quartets at the 2023 African Games in Ghana, Adekalu Fakorede, finished second behind Adegoke with a personal best of 10.23s, while Olaolu Olatunde also clocked a new PB of 10.47s in third place.
Adegoke described the win as a big boost for his mission to represent the country again in Paris.
“As the son of the soil, I feel proud of winning in Ibadan. I feel good, and running a season’s best was one of my targets. I came targeting 10.00s or 10.01s, actually, but I’m happy with the time I ran. Everything is in progress; I know the time is still coming,” the 24-year-old told Making of Champions.
“Coming from Dynamics Meet to the National Trials, I just thank God that I am beating down the time. It’s a sign of good things to come, and I’m not rushing myself while I put my mind to it at the same time,” he added.
With the likes of Favour Ashe, who has produced a world lead of 9.99s recently, national champion and African Games silver medallist Usheoritse Itsekiri, and new sensation Consider Ekanem, Adegoke admits the competition is tough but will propel him as well.
He said, “The 100m in Nigeria is very competitive, and that has kept me on my toes with the feeling that I have to sit tight and not be lackadaisical.
“Being at the Olympics again is very important; you know, being an Olympian is a great feat, but attending more than once is a greater feat, and this time around, not just as a finalist but as a medalist.”
At the Tokyo Games, which were held in 2021, Adegoke became the 11th Nigerian to break the 10s barrier in the men’s 100m when he ran 9.98s in the semi-finals, and he also became the third Nigerian to reach the 100m final at the Olympics after Davidson Ezinwa and Olapade Adeniken.
Olaitan Ibrahim