2nd August, 2013
One of the athletes of the Adopt-A-Talent Sports Programme of the Lagos State Government, Aminat Olowoora and 41 others have been called to the national camp in Sapele, Delta state ahead of Nigeria’s participation at the 11th Africa Junior Championship, AJC in Mauritius.
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has also invited 12 officials to prepare the athletes for the African tournament. Miss Olowoora, a student of International School, Lagos, ISL, was called up to feature in the 1500m event. Olowoora had earlier this year won was adjudged the best athlete of the maiden Lagos Premier Lotto Athletics Championship.
Other athletes included Harry Chukwudike, Anthony Egode, Mamus Emoobunovie, Victor Ikhazoboh, Ini-Oluwa Victor and Divine Oduduru in the 100m event.
Also in the team according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN are: Briggs Tamunotonye and Akerele Omeiza for the 200m event, while Oshasha Samson, Ottah Ugochukwu, Akerele Omeiza, Ebelebe Charles, Adeniji Ademola and Japhet Samuel are for the 400m event.
Agboola Daniel will feature in the 800m, while Ifeanyi Atuma and Bashiru Abdullahi are to participate in the110m event. Theddus Okpara will participate in high jump, while Fabian Edoki will feature in triple jump.
Athletes for the long jump are Okulaja Babajide and Joseph Edafiadhe. Ituah Enahoro will feature in the Octathlon event.
In the women’s 100m category are: Peace Uko, Deborah Odeyemi, Mariam Bassey and Nkem Ezialah.
The women for the 400m event are: Rita Ossai, Ekanem Comfort, Ada Benjamin, Uwakwe Nkeiruka, Abike Egbeniyi, Edidiong Ofonime and Alakija Denni, while Abike Egbeniyi will feature in the 800m event. For the 100m and 400m hurdles are: Efe Favour and Ann Nwaogu.
Ese Brume will feature in long jump, while Nwanneka Okwelogu and Anulika Aniefuna will feature in the shot-put and discus events. Faustina Oguh and Sarah Malagu will feature in race walk.
The Technical Director of AFN, Omatseye Nesiama, said that the athletes would report to camp in Sapele on 5 August.
NAN reports that the tournament was initially scheduled to hold in South Africa from June 26 to June 30.
However, due to a dispute between South Africa’s Olympic Association and its Athletics Federation, the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) withdrew the hosting right. The championship would now hold from 29 August to 1 September in Mauritius, an Indian Ocean Island.
Nesiama said the athletes would have to report with their international passports and adhere strictly to the camp rules.
He said that training in the camp would help to put the athletes in good shape ahead of the continental junior meet.