Nigeria dominates 4x100m relay, as Ghana suffers double heartache
In a gripping showdown at the University of Ghana Stadium on Wednesday evening, Nigeria emerged triumphant in both the men's and women's 4x100 metres relay finals, leaving Ghana to grapple with the sting of defeat.
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Despite Ghana's initial lead heading into the anchor leg, a fumbled baton exchange dashed their hopes as Nigeria seized the opportunity to surge ahead and clinch the gold. Joseph Paul Amoah's valiant effort narrowed the gap, securing a silver medal for Ghana in a thrilling photo finish.
The disappointment continued for Ghana as Nigeria's Tobi Amusan powered her team to victory in the women's 4x100m final, relegating Ghana to a third-place finish and a bronze medal.
Echoes of past battles reverberated through the stadium reminiscent of the legendary relay final at the 2003 African Games in Abuja two decades ago. Benjamin Azamati kick-started Ghana's charge, flawlessly passing the baton to Barnabas Gadayi. However, a slight delay in the exchange between Solomon Hammond and Amoah allowed Nigeria to surge ahead, maintaining their lead to cross the finish line in 38.41 seconds.
Amoah's heroic effort in the anchor leg, spurred on by the fervent cheers of spectators, fell short as he finished just microseconds behind at 38.43 seconds.
Despite the applause for Ghana's quartet, the athletes couldn't shake off the disappointment, especially considering their previous African Games record of 38.30 seconds, which had earned them gold at the Rabat Games.
Liberia secured bronze in the men's event, continuing the momentum from their women's team moments earlier. With a time of 38.73 seconds, the Liberian men not only claimed silver but also set a new national record.
The crowd at the stadium witnessed performances of the highest caliber as world champions Tobi Amusan and Burkina Faso's Fabrice Hugues Zango showcased their prowess in the women's 100m hurdles and the triple jump, respectively.
Despite facing the threat of disqualification due to a false start, Nigerian world champion Amusan dominated the 100m hurdles race, overcoming the setback to clinch another gold at the African Games with a time of 12.89 seconds. While not matching her stellar performance at the World Championships, Amusan's display of resilience secured her a well-deserved victory.
Madagascar's Fiadanantsoa claimed second place in 13.19 seconds, followed by Zimbabwe's Tinashie Ashley Kamangirira, who secured bronze in 13.59 seconds.
