AFN states its readiness for Paris Olympics athletics event as Nigerian sprinters set for Bahamas

Posted : 26 April 2024

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Nigeria’s fastest man so far this year, Favour Ashe, will not be available in Nassau, Bahamas, to help Nigeria secure a 4x100m slot in Paris, France, this summer for the Summer Olympics.

The Auburn University undergraduate student has been in great form this outdoor season and has broken 10 seconds twice (9.96 and 9.99).

The 21-year-old's name was not among the 29 names World Athletics released in the final entry list by Nigeria for the World Athletics Relays scheduled to hold early next month.

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, has not given any reason for the omission, while the Federation is doing all its possible best to secure entry Visas for the athletes from the American Embassy in Abuja.

Meanwhile, Godson Oghenebrume and Udodi Onwuzurike head the list of eight sprinters listed to compete for Nigeria in the men’s 4x100m event.

Others are Alaba Akintola, Karlingthon Anunagba, Consider Ekanem, Seye Ogunlewe, and Israel Okon Sunday.

The team will strive to be among the best 14 finishers to secure a lane in Paris for the first time since 2008 when the quartet of Onyeabor Ngwogu, Obinna Metu, Chinedu Oriala, and Uchenna Emedolu did not finish in the first heat of the event at the Bird’s Nest in Beijing, China.

For the men’s 4x400m, African Games 400m champion, Chidi Okezie, headlines the list of eight quartermilers listed to return Nigeria to the Games since 2004 when Godday James led the team to a bronze medal finish in Athens, Greece.

Others listed are Sikiru Adeyemi, Dubem Amene, Ezekiel Nathaniel and his brother, Samson Nathaniel, Dubem Nwanchukwu, Samuel Ogazi who has been improving since his switch to the University of Alabama and holds the Nigerian U18 record and Ifeanyi Ojeli.

For the women, sprint hurdler, Amusan, and Favour Ofili, Nigeria 200m record holder (indoors and out) will lead the 4x100m team that will also comprise Rosemary Chukwuma, Justina Eyakpobeyan, Tima Godbless, Elo Blessing, and African Games double sprint medalist, Olayinka Olajide.

The team is tasked with qualifying Nigeria for the Games and a place in the final eight years after the quartet of Gloria Asumnu, Blessing Okagbare, Jennifer Madu, and Agnes Osazuwa last did in Brazil.

For the 4x400m, African Games hero, Omolara Ogunmakinju, who literally ensured Nigeria won the 4x400m mixed relay gold in Accra, Ghana last month, topped the list of quartermilers listed by the AFN.

Ogunmakinju is the fourth Nigerian woman to break 52 seconds (51.90) over the 400m flat this year will be joined by the three other women who have run sub-52 seconds in the event, led by the leader, Ella Onojuvwevwo who set a 51.32 lifetime best 10 days ago, African Games silver medalist, Elo Joseph who ran inside 52 seconds thrice in Accra culminating in her setting a 51.61 personal best and Patience Okon George who ran 51.97 at the African Games trials in Asaba in February.

Ogunmakinju, at 30, will have the arduous task, as it were, of securing Nigeria’s first appearance in the event at the Games since 2012 when she led the quartet of herself, Muizat Ajoke Odumosu, Regina George, and Bukola Abogunloko to run in the final of the event in London albeit they were later disqualified for a lane violation after originally finishing in seventh place.

According to World Athletics, the World relays will serve as the main Olympic qualifying event for the relays with the first 14 placed countries automatically qualifying for the relay events at the Games.

AFN states its readiness for Paris Olympics athletics event as Nigerian sprinters set for Bahamas

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