August, 19 2023.
The 19th edition of the World Athletics Championships is already underway in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Otherwise dubbed Budapest 2023, the elitist track and field global fiesta is scheduled to run from August 19 to 27.
A total of 49 events will be held at the National Athletics Centre, the main venue and Team Nigeria is represented by a delegation of 25 athletes, including Oluwatobi Amusan, the Poster Girl of the team who was cleared on Thursday by an arbitration panel, following her provisional suspension by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).
Saturday's morning session already had some Nigerian Stars in action in the 4 x 400 metres mixed-relays, where the quartet of Patience George Okon, Dunem Nwachukwu, Chidi Okezie and Imaobong Nse Uko took part in the semifinals at about 10.05 am.
Similarly, Team Nigeria's hope for podium places were tested this morning, with Ruth Usoro and Ese Brume bronze medal winners at the last edition in Eugene, Oregon, USA Women's Long Jump event.
The competition will observe a break and return for the Afternoon Session, with the Men's 100 metres Heats at about 18.43 pm, where the Nigerian trio of Favour Ashe, Usheoritse Itsekiri and Seye Ogunlewe will go against some of the finest and fastest sprinters in Africa and in the world.
Regrettably, Nigeria's Godson Brume who ran sub 10 seconds in the build-up to the championships and is presently Nigeria's 3rd fastest hundred metres runner of all time, is not listed here because he failed to compete in last month's Nigerian trials, in Benin.
The Afternoon Seession will later have Team Nigeria's Chukwuemeka Enekwechi in the Men's Shot Put at about 19.35 pm, just before the final of
4 x 400 meters Mixed Relay scheduled for
20:00 pm.
The city of Budapest, capital of Hungary is one hour ahead of Nigeria; www.ckdmedia.ng.