Nigeria Femi Ogunode Won 100 Metres Gold

Nigeria-born athlete, Femi Ogunode on Sunday, 28 September, 2014, won the Asian Games 100 metres gold in a new continental record time of 9.93 seconds despite wet conditions in Incheon, South Korea.

Ogunode, who also won the 200-400m double at the 2010 games, beat China’s Su Bingtan and Japan’s Kei Takase to second and third places respectively. 

Hopes for an Asia-born athlete finally breaking the 10-second barrier sank with Su crossing in 10.10 and his Chinese team-mate Zhang Peimeng timing 10.18 in fourth.

Ogunode’s win is Qatar’s second athletics gold of the tournament, pulling them level in their shootout with fellow wealthy Gulf state Bahrain. 

His time bettered the 9.99 that team-mate Samuel Francis ran at the Asian Championships in 2007. Francis finished last in the final due to injury. 

Ogunode returned in January from a two-year ban for using clenbuterol and he said he was hungry for more success in next year’s world championships and the 2016 Olympics.

“I had a feeling that I would break the Asian record and I promise I’ll win more gold medals here,” said Ogunode, who is also running the 200m and the 4x100m relay. 

“Look out for me in the world championships in China in 2015 and the Rio Olympic Games in 2016.”

Ogunode’s time puts him among the top 50 fastest men of all time but still some distance from Usain Bolt’s world record of 9.58.

The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a Pancontinental multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia.

The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games.

Since the 1982 Games they have been organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), after the breakup of the Asian Games Federation.

The Games are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and are described as the second largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games.

The 2014 Asian Games, officially known as the XVII Asiad, is being hosted in Incheon, South Korea from September 19 – October 4, 2014,with 439 events in 36 sports.

Incheon was awarded the right on April 17, 2007, defeating Delhi, India to host the Games. Incheon is the third city in South Korea after Seoul (1986) and Busan (2002) to host the Asian Games.