By Flinster Austin
Published on 2024-02-05 03:20:56
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) recently concluded its first pre-Africa Games competition in Abuja, with the federation’s Technical Director, Samuel Onikeku, expressing confidence in the athletes’ readiness for the continental fiesta scheduled to take place in Accra, Ghana. Onikeku rated the athletes at 85 percent readiness following the competition and anticipated that the upcoming competition on February 16-17 would push the athletes to 95 percent readiness for the Games.
According to Onikeku, the athletes demonstrated strong performances in events such as the 400m, 1500m, high jump, long jump, and 200m, which could potentially secure podium appearances for Nigeria in the Africa Games. He emphasized that the first competition provided a good indication of the athletes’ potential, and he expected an even better performance in the upcoming event. Onikeku stated that the athletes’ performance in the two competitions would play a crucial role in the selection process for the final training camp.
In addition, he extended his appreciation to the athletes, technical officials, media, as well as the AFN president and board members for their presence and support during the competition. The positive feedback from the technical director reflects the confidence and optimism surrounding the Nigerian athletics team as they prepare for the upcoming Africa Games.
Meanwhile, the boxing world received exciting news over the weekend as the highly anticipated world heavyweight title fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, which was initially postponed, received a new date within 24 hours of the announcement. According to reports from dazn.com, the original fight scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 17 was postponed after Fury sustained a deep cut during sparring, which would require an extended recovery period.
However, a new date has been announced for the contest, with the fight now set to take place on May 18. Notably, there is a twist to the rescheduled event, as Chairman of the General Authority for Entertainment in Saudi Arabia, Turki Alalshikh, revealed that both fighters would face a significant financial penalty if they were to withdraw from the rearranged contest. Alalshikh stated, “I have guarantees from both of the fighters, $10 million if someone escapes from the fight.” The new date for the fight, coupled with the financial penalty, ensures that the event will proceed as planned, and the winner will make history by becoming the first fighter to hold all the world heavyweight titles in the four-belt era.
The quick rescheduling of the Fury vs. Usyk fight and the enforcement of financial penalties underscore the determination to ensure that the highly anticipated bout takes place, and it adds an additional layer of excitement and anticipation for the historic event later this year.
