By Victor Kanayo
Team Nigerian failed to shine when it mattered most on day seven of the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, after almost a dozen of its athletes could head into medal zone.
Heritage Times HT brings you excerpts.
100 metres race (Athletics)
Nigeria couldn’t finish on the podium at this year’s commonwealth games in 100 meters.
Earlier, the trio of Godson Brume, Favour Ashe and Raymond Ekevwo all failed to qualify for the final.
Nigeria’s duo of Rosemary Chukwuma and Grace Nwokocha failed in their bid to make the podium in the women’s 100m final.
Both Chukwuma (11.17) and Nwokocha (11.17) finished fourth and fifth in the women’s sprint in which Blessing Okagbare won both the 100m and 200m at the 2014 edition of the Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
The two Nigerian sprinters had showed so much promise in both the heats and the semi final races to give compatriots hope of podium placements.
Long jump (Athletics)
Nigerian Athlete and former participant of Nigerian TV show Big Brother Naija Season 4 tagged “Pepper Dem.” Mike Edward will not be making any podium finish at this year’s Commonwealth Games.
Mike Edward finished 6th in Men’s long jump event.
Table tennis
Esther Aribamise has progressed into the main draw after winning her two preliminary games in Table Tennis.
Another Nigerian, Sule Nasiru, defeated Canadian Muhammad Mudassar after a brilliant 3-0 win as he emerged victorious in his first match of the Table Tennis Men’s event in the Para category.
Nigeria’s Ogunkunle Isau defeated Raj Aravidan of India 3-1 to claim a win over his opponent in the men’s Para Table tennis game.
In game one, Ogunkunle won 11-9, game 2 ended 4-11 to India’s Raj while Ogunkunle won Game 3 and 4 with the scores of 11-6 and 11-8 respectively.
The game against Raj was Ogunkunle second contest of the day, but he showed no fatigue, while maintaining composure to beat his opponent in. Keenly-contested game.
Boxing
Adeyinka Benson has been defeated in the quarterfinals of the Men’s Middleweight Boxing in the 71-75kg by Scotland’s Sam Hickey.
