Fifteen finals are scheduled to take centre stage on Day 2 of the 3rd Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) U-18/U-20 Championships currently underway in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The day’s schedule includes nine finals in the girls’ U-18 and U-20 categories, six in the boys’ divisions, and will be rounded off with the highly anticipated U-20 4x400m mixed relay final.
Day 2 action will kick off at 10:30 a.m. with the 100m event of the U-18 decathlon, followed by heats in the U-18 boys’ 110m hurdles and U-20 boys’ 100m hurdles.
Semi-finals for the U-18 and U-20 boys’ and girls’ 100m sprints are also on the morning agenda, along with the U-18 boys’ 400m semi-finals.
Nigeria’s Rosemary Nwankwo and Miriam Adefunke Jegede will be among the star attractions in the U-18 girls’ 100m semi-finals as they attempt to secure a place in the final.
The pair face stiff competition from South Africa’s Nigerian-born Oluchi Abelwe Ndubueze and Congo’s Gladys Boukama.
Miracle Ezechukwu set the pace in the heats with a time of 11.79s, followed closely by South Africa’s Ndubueze (11.93s) and Nwankwo (11.99s).
In the boys’ U-18 and U-20 categories, strong competition is expected from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Côte d’Ivoire as they challenge Nigeria for podium spots.
Key Finals on Day 2
U-18 Girls
- Discus
- 3000m
- Pole Vault
- High Jump
- 100m
U-20 Girls
- Pole Vault
- Javelin
- 100m
U-18 Boys
- 100m
- 2000m Steeplechase
- Long Jump
U-20 Boys
- Shot Put
- 1500m
- 100m
Mixed Relay
- 4x400m (U-20)
Highlights from Day 1
Women’s U-18 Triple Jump Final
- Gold: Zongo Zalissa (Burkina Faso) – 12.79m
- Silver: Merzaq Kawtar (Morocco) – 12.61m
- Bronze: Chniba Feriel (Tunisia) – 12.16m
Women’s U-20 Triple Jump Final
- Gold: Belkhadar Nassima (Morocco) – 12.63m
- Silver: Zongo Awa (Burkina Faso) – 12.52m
- Bronze: Temoso Masikane (South Africa) – 12.20m
Uganda’s Bentalin Yeko claimed gold in the U-20 women’s 3000m final, ahead of Ethiopia’s Trhas Gebrehiwet and Kenya’s Joyline Chepkemoi, who took silver and bronze respectively.
Kenya dominated the U-18 1500m races, winning both boys’ and girls’ categories, while Burkina Faso and Morocco split the titles in the U-18 and U-20 girls’ triple jump events.
Praise Ikweki secured Nigeria’s first medal at the championships, winning bronze in the high jump. In the same event, Nigeria’s Ikwesi, alongside Melvin Ododo, started at 1.80m and cleared the bar up to 2.03m.
However, he failed all three attempts at 2.06m, leaving South Africa’s Mateo Le Roux to clinch the gold medal.
The continental athletics showcase continues to provide thrilling action and standout performances as young African talents compete for glory in Abeokuta.