Sports
Metu Returns As Nigeria’s Fastest Man
Published By
PM NEWS Live
Date
21st June, 2012
Three-time champion, Obinna Metu, has reclaimed the 100m title he once lost to Ogho Oghene Egwero, in a hotly contested final race at the ongoing London 2012 Olympic Trials holding at the Calabar Stadium.
Metu, an athlete of the Nigeria Prison Service, NPS, finished the explosive race in a time of 10:11secs to clinch the 100m gold of the 66th All Nigeria Athletics Championship, which would be rounded off tomorrow at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar, Cross River State.
Metu, who went on a training tour of Jamaica and the US before the trials, showed class as he had about eight seconds difference to lead his closest rival, Ogho-Oghene Egwero, who came second in 10:19secs, while Stanley Azie ran 10:32secs to clinch the third position. Ike Patrick Chinedu finished fourth in a time of 10:32secs.
Peter Emelieze, who came for the Trials in Calabar as a contender for the title, posted the most disappointing time of 10:39secs to place 6th despite winning his semi final earlier in a time of 10:21secs.
Speaking after the race, Metu said his personal best was yet to come.
“I am happy I have proved that changing one’s training-regime and coach can sometimes be beneficial. Despite taking the title in Calabar, my best is yet to come. My aim is to do well at the Olympics in London and not just becoming a local champion in Nigeria,” Metu, who earlier posted 10:17secs to win his semi final race enthused.
Metu hopes he would add the 200m title to his 100m crown, but has to prove that before the curtain falls on the championships on Thursday.
Commenting on Metu’s achievement, Team Nigeria’s Head Coach, Innocent Egbunike, described the new champion as a worthy student who is ready to put into practice, all that, he has learnt at the Atlanta camp.
“I am just lucky to see him smiling now. Metu told me he was coming to Calabar to show a few of the new tricks he learnt at the Olympic camp.
“He had challenges coming to the camp, but I’m happy that some of the athletes from that camp have shown that it was not a waste of time and money,” said Egbunike, who anchored Nigeria’s 4x400m relay quartet to a bronze medal at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984.
Dethroned Egwero, however accepted the defeat, saying: “One cannot win at all times. Today’s race was not just mine. Having said that, I congratulate Metu for giving me a good race, but he should prepare for a tough 200m final on Thursday.”
In the other events, Triple Jump champion, UK-based Tosin Oke erased his previous national record of 17.22m by an inch to a new 17.23m.
Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps’ Olajide Abiola (15.05m) and George Jones (14.95m) of the Prisons Service were second and third respectively.
In the women’s 100m hurdles event, it was an all Delta State affair, as favourite, Seun Adigun hopped to a gold medal in 13:13secs. Other US-based heptathletes, Uhunoma Naomi Osazuwa (13:16) and Jessica Ohanaja (13:30) finished second and third respectively.
Cross River State long distance runner, Israel Sadjo, who won all the six legs of the AFN Golden League and a share of the N2m prize money, reconfirmed his position when he easily overrun other competitors to clinch the 5000m event in 14 mins.33:19secs.
John Bulus Jah of the High Altitude Club (14.33.27) and Danjuma Kopkuddi of the Immigration (14.40.71) placed second and third respectively.
By Adebobola Alawode/Calabar
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