Team Nigeria ended their campaign on a blistering note at the 21st Senior Athletics Championships; winning three gold medals on the final day of action at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, Delta State.
The last set of gold medals for Nigeria came in the Triple Jump Event, 400m Women’s Hurdles Event and the 4x400m Women’s Relay event.
Though Nigeria won a silver medal in the 200m event and two more bronze medals in the javelin men and 4x400m men’s event it was not enough to give Nigeria a better finish in the biennial athletics championships as the hosts finished third overall on the medals table same way it was at the last edition in Durban 2016.
Team Nigeria had a total medal haul of nine gold, five silver and five bronze medals.
Team Kenya were the overall champion at Asaba 2018 as the East Africans finished strongly on the final day; ending the championship with 11 Gold medal six silver and two bronze medals.
South Africa who led for most of the five-day event settled for second place with nine gold, 13 silver and eight bronze medals.
Morocco and Ethiopia complete the list of the top five teams. For the first time in the history of the African championships, athletes from Nigeria and other African countries will not just go home with their
medals, but with monetary reward.
The Local Organizing Committee of the 2018 African Senior Athletics Championship on Sunday revealed prize money for athletes who won medals in Asaba.
Speaking in Asaba, LOC Chairman Solomon Ogba announced that athletes who won gold medal will get a cash prize of $3000 each. Ogba added that silver medalists will be rewarded with ($2000), while bronze medalists will smile home with ($1000).
Over 120 medals were won at the 2018 African Senior Athletics Championship, tagged Asaba 2018.
The next edition of the championship will be taking place in Algeria.