2023 Nigeria Trials: Top 5 Men's home-based Athletes to watch out for

The 2023 Nigeria Trials at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin from July 5th - 7th, will witness the best Nigerian athletes converge for a spot on the World Championships team to Budapest.

As the most anticipated athletics competition of the year organised in the country, it'll be a clash between the home and foreign-based athletes battling it out for bragging rights and supremacy.

Some of these home-based have produced stellar performances this season and are capable of causing upsets to become national champions or acquire spots on the relay teams to Budapest.

Based on their best performances and consistency, here are top 5 home-based athletes to watch out for in Benin.

The fastest home-based 100m runner this year, he has been on a winning streak throughout this season over this distance after his season best of 10.24s (+0.1) on the DSC Athletics Track in Dubai. 

Akintan will face the more experienced stars such as Favour Ashe, Usheoritse Itsekiri, Seye Ogunlewe, and Sunday Akintan. He will target a podium finish and a place on the 4x100m relay team.

Will he be capable of breaking into the 1-2-3 position as the fastest home-based or taking the crown?

The quarter-mile sensation rose to stardom after an astonishing Championship Record (CR) of 46.01s to win the African U18 and U20 Championships in Zambia.

Ogazi won three gold medals in Zambia ( 200m, 400m, and medley relay), ending as one of the discoveries and top performers of the championship.

Ever since, the teenager hasn't lost a race in Nigeria. More so, he lowered his Personal Best (PB) to 45.91s at the AFN Golden League

in Abuja, and only Raphael Egbuchilem (45.79s), Emmanuel Ojeli (45.63s), and Dubem Nwachukwu (44.81s) have run faster.

Ogazi is ready to race with these big guns and won't be a pushover for that title.

Taking over the baton from Prosper Ekoprere - the fastest home-based athlete last year in the men's 110m hurdles, Musa will have his goal on lowering his PB of 13.89s (+2.0).

However, going for the title will be a high obstacle to overcome, having Stephen Eloji, Bashiru Abdullahi, and Ekporere to contend with, who are proven hurdlers in the NCAA.

Notwithstanding, the hurdles event is a technical event, so overcoming pressure from the faster legs of these foreign-based trio will vehemently give him an edge and possibly usurp the throne in the kingdom of the hurdlers.

The nation's current leader in the men’s high jump has a PB of 2.15m, which he did at the AFN Golden League in Benin.

Jimoh is the top favourite to become the national champion, and his stiffest challenger will be Goodluck Fiaku with a PB of 2.10m.

The African U20 Champion in the men’s long jump has been unrivaled with his 7.86m this season. He is a promising athlete on his quest to victory, but can he be challenged?