Events
Exec Suites
Team Nigeria Ready for Africa
Written by Duncan Tuesday, 27 July 2010
ShareNigerian athletes who left Lagos at the weekend for Nairobi, Kenya to acclimatise towards the African Senior Athletics Championships slated to begin next week Wednesday July 28 at the Nyayo Stadium have started getting use to the high altitude of the East African country.
The Nigerian track & field party made up of 21 female and 18 male athletes departed Lagos on Saturday night, one clear week ahead of the kick off of the senior African Meet in order to stabilize and be in mental shape to battle for honour amongst other top of countries from the continent coming for the Championships.
According to AFN board member, Navy Captain Omatseye Nesiama who is camp commandant of the team, the athletes are been put through the last lap of training by the accompanying Nigerian coaches.
“As you are aware, Nairobi is a high altitude city and for anyone coming from West Africa, it is imperative to be here ahead of time to get used to the weather before the commencement of the Championships. That informed why we had to make arrangement to take the athletes to the host city ahead of time,” observed the AFN board member.
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) had earlier invited 40 athletes and seven coaches to camp in Oghara, Delta State ahead of the African Senior Athletics Championships.
Athletes to represent Nigeria at this Meet include Mobil champion Blessing Okagbare and Damola Osayomi. Others for the women sprint include Agnes Osazuwa, Laureta Ozoh and Josephine Omaka. Both Okagbare and Osayomi are listed for the 200m with Endurance Abinuwa completing Nigeria's entries for that event.
Invited male sprinters include Obinna Metu, Ogho-Oghene Egwero, Benjamin Adukwu, Fred Agbaje and Peter Emelieze. Nigeria did not enter for the longer sprint-the 200m.
For the quarter-mile, Sade Abugan, Josephine Ehigie,
Margaret Etim, Bukola Abogunloko and Ajoke Odumosu are the country's
selected runners. The male selected include Noah Akwu, Saul Weigopwa,
Godday James, Tobi Ogunmola and Isah Salihu. Ishaku Mohammed is the sole
male entry for the 800m while Ruth Awute Sani is also the single female
entry for the 1500m event.
In the hurdles, Seun Adigun and Jessica
Ohanaja are to compete in the women 100m with Salim Nurudeen and Samuel
Okon for the men 110m. Odumosu also returns as sole entry in her
specialty, the women 400m hurdles.
In the field, Okagbare will attempt to win her first African title in the long jump after finishing an historic NCAA season the USA. She has Comfort Onyali as mate in that event. In the male version, Stanley Gbagbeke and Samson Idiata are the two entries. Tosin Oke is sole male invitee for the step, hop and jump triple jump event. Former Commonwealth Games silver medalist Otonye Iworima has another chance to redeem her career with Blessing Ibrahim and Nkiruka Domike as compatriots in that event. Bolanle Ogun , Queen Obisesan and Osazuwa Osamudiamen are for Hammer with Patience Okoro (Heptathlon) and Marian Ibekwe (Shot Put) completing the Nigerian team.
Coaches invited include: Tobias Igwe, Seun Akinyemi and Daniel Etsebiminor (Sprint). Yusuf Alli (Jumps), Gad Onumaegbu, Olu Sule and Solomon Aliu (hurdles) with Lati Obisesan for Throws. Rotimi Obajimi is to coordinate the coaches.
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