Para-athlete Olajide sets new T53 100m African record after 11 years

Olajumoke Olajide, a physically challenged athlete, Class T53, has broken the African record held by Anne Wafula of Kenya after 11 years, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
Wafula of Kenya made the record on May 14, 2005 in Manchester, Great Britain.
Olajide recorded a time of 18.51 in the 100m at the International Paralympic Committee Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai, which ended on Sunday, thereby breaking Wafula’s time of 18.59.
Turkey’s Hamide Kurt clocked 17.46 to win second final ahead of Nigeria’s Olajide at the competition
The IPC Grand Prix held from March 17 to March 20 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Hannah Babalola added to Nigeria’s success at the competition by also winning the 100m, T54 Class by 17.17.
NAN also reports that Babalola did not break her African record of 16.97 recorded in 2015 at Arbon, Switzerland.
NAN also reports that Nigeria featured three para-athletes at the event, with Friday Aibaneangbe being the only Class S11 male athlete.
The women’s javelin F55 also saw a new African record as Kenya’s Nelly Jeptoo Sile added nearly two metres to her previous mark with a winning throw of 14.54m.
Morocco’s Saida Amoudi also broke the African record in the shot put F34 as she won with a winning throw of 7.32m.
The throw is a five centimetre improvement on the previous mark she set when finishing fourth at last year’s World Championships.
The series will continue in Tunisia from March 24 to March 26 for the 3rd Grand Prix in 2016.
NAN.