By Flinster Austin
Published on 2024-02-17 03:38:01
President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Tonobok Okowa, has revealed that the National Trials for selecting athletes to represent Nigeria at the Africa Games in Ghana this year, is expected to be full of surprises. The Trials, set to kick off at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, is being organized by the AFN in collaboration with the Making of Champions (MoC).
In a recent telephone conversation with The Guardian, Okowa expressed his anticipation to witness athletes achieving new Personal Bests (PB) during the Trials. He clarified that while there will undoubtedly be PBs, it is essential for Nigerians to understand that the athletes might not be at their peak performance due to the timing of the Trials. He explained, “This is not the best period for athletes to perform wonders because they have not really hit their form. But this is the Olympics year, and we have the Africa Games by the corner. We have to make good use of what we have.”
Okowa, who also holds positions as the chairman of Delta Sports Commission and President of Africa Region 2 Athletics, disclosed that Nigerian athletes would enter camp in Abuja immediately after the National Trials, which are expected to conclude on February 20. Earlier, Sports Minister, Senator John Owan Enoh, had announced that preparations for the Africa Games would include training camps in five different locations – Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan, Bayelsa, and Gombe.
Nigeria will be participating in 25 sports at the Africa Games, with eight of them serving as Olympic qualifiers. Throughout the history of the Games, Nigeria has won a total of 1326 medals across 12 editions, making it the second most-successful nation in the Games history behind Egypt.
Overall, it is clear that the National Trials for the Africa Games are not just an opportunity for athletes to secure their spot in the event, but also to prepare and fine-tune their skills for the upcoming Olympics. With varied training locations and the support from the AFN and MoC, the athletes have an opportunity to showcase their potential and contribute to Nigeria’s strong presence in this highly esteemed sporting event.
