Nigeria wins triple jump after 44 years


  1. Samuel Okocha, AfricaNews reporter in Lagos, Nigeria
    Tosin Oke posted a jump of 17.16 metres in the men's triple jump to win gold for Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games in India after 44 years without a gold medal in that event. Samuel Igun had won gold in the same event in 1966 in Kingston, Jamaica.
    India 2010 Commonwealth Games
    The 30-year-old narrowly beat Lucien Hugo Mamba-Schlick of Cameroun, who posted a national record of 17.14 metres for silver and India's Renjith Maheswary who got bronze with 17.07 metres.

    "It feels great. I am not surprised but it was closer than I thought. It is good to perform on the world stage. This is great for me. It is my first International title," Nigerian Tribune quoted an excited Oke as saying on Tuesday.

    In July this year, Tosin Oke impressed with a personal best leap of 17.22 metres to win the men's triple jump Gold medal at the African Athletics Championship in Nairobi, Kenya.

    The Nigerian triple jumper formerly represented England competing in 1997 for Cambridge Harriers, South-east London, and won the 1999 European Junior Championships with a jump of 16.57.



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