Patience Okon-George leads Nigeria's best home-based athletes to Michael Johnson Invitational

Veteran quarter miler Patience Okon-George will lead Nigeria's best home-based 200m and 400m runners to the Micheal Johnson Invitational this weekend.

Okon-George is listed to compete in the 200m and 400m against some of the NCAA's best and some of the world's best elite runners in the event.

Some top names scheduled to compete in the 200m are US sprint sensation Abby Steiner and returning former world champion Salwa Eid Naser. While, USA's Lynna Irby-Jackson and Jamaica's Ashanti Moore are also big names present.

Meanwhile, Okon will also run against Rosemary Chukwuma, who ran an outstanding wind-aided 10.85s in the 100m last week, showing she may be back to her best early indoor season form, and Anavia Battle won't be a push-over as well.

However, the favourite for the race win is Steiner being the only one that has gone below the 22s mark in her career. But she'll face stiff competition in Chukwuma, who will be gunning to run a new Personal Best (PB).

Okon-George opened her 2023 season in February at the Lagos Athletics Series League, Yabatech, where she won the 400m in 54.12s. Then at the AFN All Comers in Kaduna, she won her 200m heat in 23.93s.

Other Nigerian athletes expected to compete are Samson Nathaniel, Sikiru Adeyemi, and US-based Chidi Okezie, all in the 200m and 400m