It was really an unlucky end to what started as an impressive Olympic debut for Nigeria’s Enoch Adegoke as he sustained a suspected hamstring injury as Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs claimed a shock gold in the Olympics 100m final.
After a promising start, sensational Adegoke pulled out in the race to dash the hopes of a first ever medal in the men’s 100m at the Olympics for Nigeria.
Without any iota of doubt, attention will now shift to the duo of Tobi Amusan and Ese Brume who are in the finals of the 100m hurdles and long jump respectively as Nigeria’s hunt for first Medal at the Tokyo Olympics continues.
On an evening of pulsating drama 26-year-old Jacobs, a former long jumper, powered clear in the last 30m to win in 9.80sec.
American sprinter Fred Kerley was second in 9.84 sec while Canada’s Andre De Grasse flew home in 9.89s to take bronze.
Jacobs is the first man to win the title other than sprinting great Usain Bolt since 2004.
Britain’s Zharnel Hughes was unable to compete after he was disqualified for false start.
Meanehile, Adegoke was still able to make history in Tokyo as it was the first time in 25 years that Nigeria will have a representative in the final of the 100m men’s event at the Olympic Games.
Enoch Adegoke broke that jinx on Sunday; qualifying for the final of 100m men’s event at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics.
Adegoke, who is participating in the Olympic Games for the very first time, qualified for the final after running 10.00secs in his semi-final race.
This is the first time Nigeria is making it to the final in the men’s 100m event since Davidson Ezinwa achieved the feat at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.
Before Sunday’s semi final race, Adegoke had given room for optimism when he stunned the world on Saturday winning his Heat with a new personal Best Time of 9.98secs.
Adegoke beat Asian record holder, Femi Ogunode, British star, Zharnel Hughes, and 2021 World leader, Travon Brommel, to win his 100m heat.
With Saturday’s feat, Adegoke became the 11th Nigerian in history to go under 10 seconds and the 10th joint-fastest Nigerian in history.
