Nigeria African Athletics Championships Medal Haul ends with 12 medals as the team finishes fourth, boosted by a strong relay gold on the final day
Nigeria concluded the 24th African Athletics Championships on a strong note on Monday, 18 May 2026, finishing with a total of 12 medals after a commanding performance in the women’s 4x400m relay on the final day of competition.
Nigeria’s medal run at African Athletics Championships was sealed by the quartet of Esther Okon, Toheebat Jimoh, Jecinter Lawrence and Patience Okon-George, who successfully defended the women’s 4x400m relay title in a dominant time of 3:29.25.
The Nigerian team controlled the race from the early stages and finished nearly 30 metres ahead of Ethiopia and Kenya, securing the country’s fourth gold medal of the championships.
That final victory confirmed Nigeria’s overall tally of four gold, five silver and three bronze medals, placing the team fourth on the medal table behind Kenya, South Africa and Ethiopia.
Kenya topped the standings with six gold, four silver and seven bronze medals, while South Africa also finished with six gold, alongside two silver and six bronze. Ethiopia followed in third with five gold, four silver and six bronze medals.
Nigeria’s standout performer of the competition was Rosemary Chukwuma, who added a silver medal in the women’s 200m with a time of 23.60 seconds, finishing behind Côte d’Ivoire’s Maboundou Kone.
Chukwuma ended the championships with an impressive three-medal haul, having earlier won gold in the 4x100m relay and silver in the 100m, underlining her consistency across sprint events.
Star hurdler Tobi Amusan also delivered a gold medal in the women’s 100m hurdles with a time of 12.83 seconds, reinforcing her dominance on the continental stage.
Nigeria further impressed in relay events, including a gold-winning performance in the mixed 4x400m relay and another victory in the women’s 4x100m relay, highlighting the country’s strength in sprint combinations.
Medals also came in field events, with Oyesade Olatoye winning silver in the hammer throw and Divine Oladipo securing silver in the discus throw.
The men’s 4x100m relay team added another silver medal, while bronze medals were recorded by Adaobi Tabugbo, Chidera Ezeakor and Obiageri Amaechi in their respective events.
Although Nigeria finished fourth overall, the campaign ended on a positive note, with the final relay gold reinforcing the country’s continued strength as one of Africa’s leading sprinting nations.
