Egwero Rules AFN Golden League

Gelta athlete, Ogho Oghene Egwero at the weekend continued his hunt for the jackpot prize of the 2011 Athletics Federation of Nigeria Golden League when he stormed to a 10.33 to win the 100m event of the 2nd leg in Ado Ekiti.

Fred Agbaje (10.56) of CDA and Navy athlete, Chukwuma Onyeaku (10.65) finished second and third respectively.

At the first leg in Port Harcourt penultimate weekend, Egwero started his season with a slow 10.55 to lead the field.

But on Saturday, the top sprinter who is mindful of the long season ahead, due to both the All Africa Games slated for September and the World Championships in August in Deagu, South Korea admitted that he couldn’t afford to go full steam just yet.

“ We have a long season with both the All Africa Games and the World Championships coming up later this year. So, what I am doing now is just part of my build up for the season. As you can see, the 10.33 I ran here (Ekiti) is an improvement over my Port Harcourt race. I do not intend to go out of my training programme so as not to burn out when it matter most,” observed Egwero who ran in the same heats as Usain Bolt at the last World Championships in Berlin, Germany two years ago.

In the female version of the race, Deborah Odeyemi of A-Class club out-sprint both Blessing Ibirah of the Police (11.92) and Susan Akene (12.00) to win the race. Odeyemi powered home in 11.77.

Tobi Ogunmola of ICDO won the quarter mile in 46.49 to leave Abiola Onakoya (46.66) and Godday James (47.15) both of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps struggling for the second and third positions.

Bukola Abogunloko had no serious contest in the women 400m as the 2010 World Junior Championships 4x400m silver medalist coasted home in 52.83. Josephine Ehigie (53.10) of the Police team and Rita Ossai (53.94) of Mausi Club picked the silver and bronze.

Sunday Bada, the performance/technical director of the AFN was unimpressed with some of the races and field events. “There is till room for improvement as the season is a long one. I hope to see better races as the season progresses with the Golden League,” observed Bada, a serving police superintendent.

While expressing his appreciation to the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Olukayode Fayemi for his magnanimity in hosting and partly funding the event, Bada stressed that the renovation given to the tracks of the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium was marvelous. “This track is beautiful and well laid. It is atop grade job that was done here and we in AFN hope to come back here again as we are very impressed.”