Nigeria To Name Athletes Sunday

By Adebobola Alawode

Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, is expected to name Nigeria’s representatives for the track and field events of the London 2012 Olympic Games on Sunday.

President of the AFN, Solomon Ogba, who is presently in Port Novo, Benin Republic, for the ongoing 18th Senior African Athletics Championship, said the federation will release the list of Nigerian athletes to the Games on Sunday.

Ogba disclosed that the AFN will take into consideration the performance of the athletes at the last All Nigeria Athletics Championship in Calabar, Cross River State and the ongoing Africa tourney in Benin.

On the performance of Nigeria’s fastest woman, Blessing Okagbare, at the athletics meet in Port Novo, where she relinquished her 100m title to Gabon’s Zang Milana, who ran 11:16sesc, Ogba disclosed that the long jumper had malaria.

Okagbare finished the race in 11:18secs to win silver, while her compatriot, Gloria Asumu ran 11:28secs to win bronze.

“Okagbare had malaria and after using her medications, she went for the long jump event and had to go to the tracks again for the 100m. Unfortunately, she lost her title,” Ogba said.

The First Bank of Nigeria’s ambassador said after the race: “It was just a race, I tried my best but I still have to say thank you, God. It is not really what I wanted. I gave it my best shot, but you win some and lose some.”

Day 2 of the event was a bad one for Nigeria at the event as most of the athletes representing the country were a shadow of themselves.

In the 100m Men’s final, Nigeria’s fastest man, Obinna Metu of the Nigeria Prison Service, ran 10.40s to place 5th, while other Nigerians also flopped.

were in the final race Ogho Oghene Egwero ran10.47s to place 7th while Stanley Azie did 10.58s and came 8th.

Chinwe Okoro was the only Nigerian that won a gold medal, Okoro a national discus record holder of 58.25, which she set last May in Louisville Kentucky won the Women’s discus event as she heaved 56.60m.