Adegoke, Ezeakor share 100m title as Omokwe shines in Ibadan

By Akanimo Kufre

The second day of the MTN CHAMPS Grand Final in Ibadan produced thrilling performances, with the men’s and women’s 100m finals delivering standout moments at the Lekan Salami Stadium.

In the Senior Men’s 100m, Enoch Adegoke and Chidera Ezeakor could not be separated at the finish line, both clocking identical times of 10.15 seconds to share top honours in a dramatic race. Ezeakor’s time marked a new Personal Best, capping an impressive outing after running 10.31s in the heats, while Adegoke had posted 10.34s earlier.

Pre-race favourite Tejiri Godwin, who set the pace in the heats with a blistering 10.29s Personal Best, could not replicate that form in the final. Osama Chibueze secured third place with a lifetime best of 10.35s.

In the women’s event, Maria Thompson Omokwe delivered a commanding performance to win gold in a Personal Best of 11.26 seconds. The time equals the fastest recorded on Nigerian soil in 2026, matching the mark set by Miracle Ezechukwu.

Omokwe had earlier hinted at her form in the semi-finals, lowering her Personal Best to 11.35s before going even faster in the final. Janet Sunday finished second in 11.66s, also a Personal Best, while Omoyemi Lydia Ajayi-Bibilomo placed third with a lifetime best of 11.69s.

The Junior categories also witnessed impressive displays. In the women’s race, Ejiro Peter claimed victory in 11.39s, having earlier posted a Personal Best of 11.29s in the semi-finals. She finished ahead of Chigozie Rosemary Nwankwo (11.48s) and Team MTN’s Lucy Nwankwo (11.57s).

In the Junior Men’s 100m, Abdulrahman Adewale Jimoh stormed to victory in a Personal Best of 10.57s. Liberty Okon followed closely in 10.62s, also a Personal Best, while Team MTN’s Alvin Onyeama secured third in 10.66s.

In other events, Ndiponke Okure, Sodiq Adebisi, and Olorunwa Olowu finished as the top three in the Senior Men’s 400m hurdles. In the junior category, Oseiwe Salami impressed with a lifetime best of 51.60s to claim gold, ahead of Ibrahim Muhammed and Solomon Eloghosa Okundaye, who settled for silver and bronze respectively.

The MTN CHAMPS Grand Final continues to showcase emerging and elite talents, with several athletes recording Personal and Season’s Bests as competition intensifies in Ibadan.