Grace Anigbata, top placed triple jump athlete at the ongoing All Nigeria Athletics championship, says her target is to leap about 14 metres in triple jump at the African Senior Athletics championships.
Anigbata of Delta jumped 13.69m ahead of defending champion, Blessing Ibukun of NSCDC with 12.89m, and Mercy Honesty of the Nigeria Police Force in third place leapt 12.74m in the finals.
A smiling Anigbata said on Saturday in Abuja that she was glad to have created a better personal best.
“I am so glad and happy. I really thank God for a new personal best which is 13.69m from a previous 13.22m.
“I was not able to make the Commonwealth team to Australia but now I have a better chance to be at the African championships since I went above the 13.50m standard set by Athletics Federation of Nigeria.
“I am expecting to step on that podium with 14m in Asaba.”
On defeating the defending champion, the athlete said her target was to beat Ibukun’s personal best.
“I have not defeated her yet. Since her personal best is 13.80m, I need to beat that record before I would say I have defeated her.
“Right now, I respect her because she is a professional in triple jump but I hope to beat her soon,’’ she said.
The three-day championship is ongoing at the National Stadium, Abuja and also serves as trials for the African Senior Athletics Championship in Asaba from Aug. 1 to Aug. 5. (NAN)
