Godday shines, Fasuba loses at Abuja meet
Nigeria's Godday James dashed to a stunning 44.90 seconds personal best in the men's 400m race at the 3rd edition of the CAA Super Grand Prix 2008 meeting held yesterday in Abuja, Nigeria
In the absence of the reigning African champion Nagmedin Ali Abubakar of Sudan, Godday, 24, shed 0.9 seconds off his previous best set when he won the Mobil Nigerian Olympics Championships in 2006 at the same venue.
Former Nigerian champion Saul Weigopwa was second in 45.18 seconds ahead of former African champion Eric Milazar of Mauritius, third in 45.90 seconds.
Godday told the media after the race. "I really enjoy my race today. I can't express my joy, setting up my ever best time in 400m.
"I thank God for the strength, the power and energy."
Long Jump's 2008 Golden league contender Gable Garenamotse of Botswana took the event with a leap of 7.89m, with Egyptian Hateen Mersel second (7.86m) and Nigeria's Stanley Gbagbeke third (7.85m) respectively.
Cameroun's Françoise Mbango Etone's, Olympic and African champion, easily won the women's Triple Jump in 14.58m. American Brenda Faluade was second with a leap of 13.68m and Columbia's Johana Trevio third with 13.50m.
Nigeria's Toyin Augustus took the women's 100m hurdles in 13.24secs ahead of another US based Nigerian athlete Jessica Ohanaja (13.30secs) and Guinean reigning African champion Fatmata Fofanah (13.61secs).
Fasuba beaten
The 2008 World Indoor 60m champion and African 100m record holder (9.85secs) Olusoji Fasuba suffered a shock loss to rising local athlete Adetoyi Durotoye in the men's 100m.
Durotoye, 22, won in a new personal best of 10.14secs, with Fasuba second in 10.18secs and former World Cup winner Uchenna Emedolu settling for third in 10.22 secs.
World Indoor 60m finalist Uche Isaac was fourth in 10.23 secs with Ghana's Aziz Zakari (returning from a two-year drug ban ) fifth in 10.42secs whilst 2003 All African Games champion Deji Aliu did not finish.
Other strong showings at the events include: Nigeria's Vivian Chukwuemeka 18.15m in the women's Shot Put, African champion Damola Osayemi's 10.8secs (hand timed due to temporary electronic timer failure) in the women's 100m, Senegalese Abdoulaye Wade's 1:47.78 800m triumph and Nigeria's Ajoke Odumosu with a modest 56.88secs in the women's 400m hurdles.
