The showpiece event of the evening was plagued by technical difficulties as the Confederation of African Athletics and local organizers grappled with a dysfunctional timing device. The technical failure left journalists, fans, and the athletes themselves completely in the dark regarding official race times immediately after the runners crossed the finish line.
Chukwuma, a two-time African Under-20 champion running out of the central lanes, appeared to hold the lead just meters from the line and burst into celebration after the finish. However, Kole Etame Herverge, running out of lane five, executed a phenomenal late surge to force an incredibly tight finish.
Following a tense and lengthy review of the photo-finish image by track officials, the stadium announcement shocked the Nigerian delegation. Herverge was officially declared the African champion by a mere three-thousandths of a second. The six-time Cameroon national champion was credited with a winning time of 11.485 seconds, while Chukwuma was forced to settle for the silver medal with a time of 11.488 seconds. Liberia’s Thelma Davies completed the podium, taking the bronze medal in 11.50 seconds.
The victory marks a moment of ultimate redemption for the 25-year-old Herverge, who failed to reach the 100-meter final at the previous edition of the championships held in her home country. Despite the heartbreak for Chukwuma, the race kicked off a highly successful sprint double for Cameroon, as her compatriot Emmanuel Eseme went on to win the men’s 100-meter title shortly after.