Plateau Athletes to Get Government Support In Sports Festival

As states stratigize on how to win the coming National Sports Festival in River States, the Plateau State government has set the ball rolling to provide all the needed support to encourage its athletes to win laurels at the NSF.
According to the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr Nankin Bagudu, Governor Jonah Jang had approved the release of funds for the purchase of equipment required to excel.
Bagudu, who visited the athletes in camp at the Rwang Pam Stadium, Jos, said he was impressed by the efforts put in by the athletes and their coaches.The Commissioner expressed the hope that the athletes will do the state proud as they had done in previous editions.
“I enjoin you to put in your best to make the state proud as you have always done. The conditions may not be very favourable but government is working hard to make it better for you.
“The equipment will boost your confidence and I urge you to take the spirit to Port Harcourt to bring back gold medals back to Jos,” Bagudu said.
It would be recalled that Plateau State was came ninth on the medals table at the end of the last festival in Kaduna in 2009.

AFN Golden League: Three Down, Two to Go

…As Egwero, Osazuwa, Onakoya, Abogoloko Speed to Victory

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Golden League third leg ended in Abuja at the weekend with Ogho Oghene Egwero further lowering the 100m time to claim his third consecutive victory and also aiming for the prize money.

Egwero won the race with a time of 10.26seconds to stay in contention for a share in the N3m jackpot prize on line in the league.

Obinna Metu of the Nigerian Prison Service club and Benjamin Adukwu of the Nigerian Army came second and third with a time of 10.45 and 10.50 respectively.

The Delta State athlete, who struggled with hamstring hours before the event at the Abuja National Stadium hard earlier, won his semi final race in 10.31, an improvement over the 10.33 he won at the Ado Ekiti leg penultimate weekend.

“I am really getting into the groove now,” smiled the petit runner as he fielded questions at a post race chat. “I believe I can still do better on this time with more concentration on my training programme. If I continue like this, there is nothing stopping me from running a 10 flat or even running a sub 10,” stressed Egwero who is going to compete at the CAA meet in Dakar this weekend.

Agnes Osazuwa, who is competing in the League for the first time, easily won the women sprint event with a time of 11.53seconds, leaving Deborah Odeyemi from the A-Class club and Goodness Thomas of Police team ran a time of 11.68 and 11.80 respectively to pick the second and third places respectively.

Osazuwa told reporters after the race that she has started her season on a good note with the 11.53 she posted in Abuja. “I have never started my season with an 11.5 before. What this means to me personally is that if I have an injury free season, I should be able to get to the podium at the All Africa Games in September.”

However, it was the results of the men 400m that gladdens the hearts of AFN chiefs most where Abiola Onakoya, Segun Ogunkole and Tobi Ogunmola all ran the A- standard under of 46 seconds. They posted 45.89, 45.91 and 45.92 respectively.

In the women version of the quarter-mile, Bukola Abogunloko ran a slow 53.39 to remain in contention for a share in the jackpot prize money. Nkiruka Nwakwe and Josephine Ehigie took the second and third position respectively with a time 53.50 and 53.76.

In the relays, Delta State remained the team to beat in the series as Egwero anchored their 4x100m quartet to gold with 40.09seconds. Delta won the first two legs. Similarly, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) retained their 4x100m women gold, clocking 45.25.

Meanwhile, the Director General of the National Sports Commission Dr Patrick Ekeji who witnessed the Abuja leg of the series along side other top officials of the commission commended the AFN for the League.

He said that the series of competitions carried out so far by AFN will go along way in adding Nigeria’s preparations for the All African Games slated to hold in Maputo in September this year.

While hinting that there is going to be a review of the concept of the sports associations as currently constituted in order to attract the private sector to participate.

Okoye Storms Onto Senior Stage

Croydon Harrier Lawrence Okoye made an impressive start to his career as a senior with victory in the discus at the Surrey Athletics Championships recently.

The 19-year-old from Waddon, who hopes to represent Great Britain at next year's Olympic Games, was throwing a 2kg discus for the first time in competition and blew the opposition away with a 63.25m effort that smashed the championship record.

It puts him third in the UK senior discus rankings this year, only 1.24m behind current British number one Brett Morse.

He was not the only Croydon Harrier to claim top spot on the podium in the senior events.

Babatunde Amosu equaled his personal best of 15.74m, another championship record, to win the triple jump and move up to fourth in this year's UK rankings.

The club had a third gold medalist in the seniors thanks to Oweka Wanogho, who won the 200m men's final in 21.91 seconds, with club-mate Lee McLaughlin in fourth.

Other gold went to Iyani Obi-Adewole in the U17 women’s shot, Tom Holden in the U15 boys' 1500m and Simi Obi-Adewole in the U15 boys' discus.

Lawal-Balogun Targets 2012 Olympics

British born Nigeria sprinter, Lawal-Balogun said he is aiming to make it to the 2012 London Olympic where he plan to achieve a lot.

Lawal, who has a personal best of 20.38 seconds and was the second fastest 200m sprinter in Britain in 2009, prefers to be acknowledged for his achievements on the track.

The 24-year-old from Bromley, south east London, said: “Next year’s 2012 and that’s what I want to focus on, being able to compete at the 2012 Games and win.”

The athletics World Championships, that will be taking place on August 27 in Daegu, South Korea, is one of the highlights in the 2011 sporting calendar.

However, Lawal will be using the championships as a form of preparation for the big one, next year’s Olympic Games in London.

“Every experience I’ve ever gone through I see as a stepping stone for the 2012 Games and I have to see it that way because as athletes we train to compete at the Olympic Games and that’s our main goal,” said Lawal

“Hopefully by 2012 I would’ve gained enough experience to compete with those guys (the American and Jamaicans) and push myself to where I’m confident enough to compete with them. I’ve done well so far but I want to keep pushing.”

Lawal, who first began competing aged 19, is a relative novice to the sport and took part in his first major senior athletics competition at last year’s European championships in Barcelona where he reached the semi-finals.

Together with the likes of Commonwealth Games gold medalist Leon Baptiste, Toby Sandeman and James Alaka, Lawal represents a new generation of half-lap sprinters who will eventually take over from experienced athletes. “They’re very good, I compete against those guys all the time and it’s always a battle,” explained Lawal.

“Sometimes they win, sometimes I win and it depends on who’s got their mind right at the time.

Coached by Olympic 4 x 100m relay silver medalist Clarence Callender, Lawal also has his goal set on being a regular member of the British relay squad, which has had mixed fortunes over the decade.

Nevertheless individual glory remains his priority.

“I see myself as a 200m runner but I also see myself as a relay member. As an athlete, you have to make it individually when it comes to your event and obviously become a team when it comes to the relay.

“We’ve got a lot of medals in the relays. We won the Olympics with Marlon and Mark Lewis-Francis so we’re very skilful when it comes to passing the baton. I believe that we could do something in the Olympic Games as well.”

Abuja Ready For NSCDC/AFN Golden League Third Leg

Athletes jostling for the 2million prize money of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria Golden League will this weekend at the National Stadium in Abuja, compete in the third leg of the championship.

After the first and second legs, which held in Port Harcourt and Ado Ekiti respectively, the AFN Secretary General Maria Wophil said that a lot of surprises are expected, especially with more incentives on the line for athletes to pick up.

“We are expecting spectacular performances from the athletes on the trail of the jackpot prize. For this leg, there are additional incentives from our sponsor for the athletes who perform well, in addition to the prize monies they will get,” observed the Federation scribe.

Already, all the top athletes with wins in the previous legs have signified their intentions to continue the hunt to have a share in the jackpot prize money.

Delta athlete, Ogho Oghene Egwero at the weekend continued his hunt for the jackpot prize when he stormed to a 10.33 to win the 100m event in Ado Ekiti. Fred Agbaje (10.56) of CDA and Navy athlete, Chukwuma Onyeaku (10.65) finished second and third respectively.

At the first leg in Port Harcourt penultimate weekend, Egwero started his season with a slow 10.55 to lead the field.

In the female version of the race, Deborah Odeyemi of A-Class club out-sprint both Blessing Ibirah of the Police (11.92) and Susan Akene (12.00) to win the race. Odeyemi powered home in 11.77.

Tobi Ogunmola of ICDO won the quarter mile in 46.49 to leave Abiola Onakoya (46.66) and Godday James (47.15) both of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps struggling for the second and third positions.

Bukola Abogunloko had no serious contest in the women 400m as the 2010 World Junior Championships 4x400m silver medalist coasted home in 52.83. Josephine Ehigie (53.10) of the Police team and Rita Ossai (53.94) of Mausi Club picked the silver and bronze. 

Akwu Wins Double At Sunbelt Outdoor

…Gets Trackman Of The Year Award

Nigeria and Middle Tennessee sprinter Noah Awku over the weekend won both the 200 and 400meter dashes on the final day of the 2011 Sun Belt Outdoor Championships at Dean A. Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium, Tennessee.

The men's team took sixth in the competition, while the women tied for fourth.

Akwu ran respective times of 21.16 and 47.93 to take the duel victories. He was awarded Sun Belt co-Trackman of the Year for his accomplishments.

Teammate Steven Palmer was second behind Akwu in the 400 with a time of 48.09.

According to report, If not for Noah Akwu and a surprising last burst, MTSU's track & field teams would have gone winless on the final day of the Sun Belt Championships.

Akwu's 21.16-second sprint in the 200 edged South Alabama's Anton Graphenreed (21.24) to second position.  

It would be recalled that Noah Akwu was in February named track athlete of the week by the US league office. Akwu received the recognition for his performances at the Rod McCravy Memorial in Lexington, Kentucky and also placed fifth (fourth collegiately) in the 400 meters at the Rod McCravy Memorial, running 47.49, the fastest time in the Sun Belt Conference this season giving him the 28th fastest in the NCAA this season.

In March also, Noah Akwu was crowned National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) All-American in the 200-meter dash for his performance at the 2011 NCAA Indoor Track and Field National Championships. Akwu placed sixth in a final round time of 20.86 to earn the honor.

With the All-American title, Akwu becomes the second Middle Tennessee athlete to be named All-American in the 200-meter dash. Christian Nsiah was crowned such in 1996. He is also the first Blue Raider to win All-American in a track event since Orlando Reid in 2007 and first male indoor winner since Juan Walker in 2006.

ECOWAS Games To Remain Under-23 Category

 The Economic Community of West African Games (ECOWAS Games) whose first edition was held in Abuja, Nigeria in September, 2010 is to remain a competition for the Under-23 in the region.
Each Sports Federation will however be allowed to set the age within the approved limit for each of the sports disciplines.
This was one of the recommendations of the meeting of Monitoring and Evaluation Committee of the 2010 ECOWAS Games held in Abuja, May 10, 2011. Other recommendations made by the meeting are that with effect from the 2012 Games in Ghana, a data base for athletes will be created while the technical organization and criteria for organization will be handled by each sports federation for each sports discipline with possible penalties for defaulting countries or athletes.
The meeting also recommended that the ECOWAS passport, ECOWAS Travel Certificate or National Passports be used by participants.
The meeting also advised host countries to ensure that accommodation sites are not too far from competition venues and to ensure that feeding for athletes is in conformity with international standards.
It also recommended that host countries should ensure effective transportation in line with Games Regulations.
As contained in the recommendations, Sports Federations will propose referees and officials in line with international standards while supervisors are to drawn from the continent.

Kenya Olympic Champion Wanjiru Leaps To His Death

Olympic marathon champion Samuel Wanjiru has died after apparently falling from the top floor of his home in Nyahururu, central Kenya.

According to the police, the 2008 Beijing Olympic champion died from injuries sustained after jumping from top floor of his home in Nyahururu town at about 1am local time.

News of the death spread like bushfire in the town and by the morning many people among them athletes had thronged the Nyahururu district hospital mortuary where the body was lying.

The athletics champion was said to have jumped from his house at the Muthaiga estate in Nyahururu. Police said there was a quarrel between the runner and his wife Triza Njeri moments before he leaped to his death.

Nyandarua police chief Jasper Ombati said Wanjiru had come home at 11pm Sunday with a female friend after a social evening before the wife unexpectedly showed up moments later.

Mr Ombati said the runner was pronounced dead on arrival at the Nyahururu district hospital where he had been rushed by relatives.

Relatives found him lying on the concrete floor bleeding through the mouth and ears.

Samuel Wanjiru breaks the tape in victory during the Olympics marathon race in Beijing in 2008.

"Doctors at the district hospital tried to resuscitate him in vain," said Mr Ombati.

His female friend was being held at Nyahururu police station where she is helping police with investigations. The wife and a guard also recorded statements.

A huge crowd milled around the home by day break but the police had condoned off the area.

The sports hero was set to appear before a Nyahururu court on May 23 where he is charged with being in possession of an illegal fire arm.

In March, he had a sigh of relief after his wife and a guard, William Masinde, withdrew assault charges against him before the same court.

Egwero Storms to Second Win in AFN Golden League

ECOWAS U23 gold medalist in Abuja and Delta athlete, Ogho Oghene Egwero at the weekend continued his hunt for the 2 million naira Athletics Federation of Nigeria jackpot prize of the 2011 Golden League when he stormed to a 10.33 seconds to win the 100m event of the 2nd leg in Ado Ekiti. Fred Agbaje (10.56) of CDA and Navy athlete, Chukwuma Onyeaku (10.65) finished second and third respectively.

At the first leg in Port Harcourt penultimate weekend, Egwero started his season with a slow 10.55 to lead the field.

But on Saturday, the top sprinter who is mindful of the long season ahead, due to both the All Africa Games slated for September and the World Championships in August in Deagu, South Korea admitted that he couldn’t afford to go full steam just yet.

 “We have a long season with both the All Africa Games and the World Championships coming up later this year. So, what I am doing now is just part of my build up for the season. As you can see, the 10.33 I ran here is an improvement over my Port Harcourt race. I do not intend to go out of my training programme so as not to burn out when it matter most,” observed Egwero who ran in the same heats as Usain Bolt at the last World Championships in Berlin, Germany two years ago.

In the female version of the race, Deborah Odeyemi of A-Class club out-sprint both Blessing Ibirah of the Police (11.92) and Susan Akene (12.00) to win the race. Odeyemi powered home in 11.77.

Tobi Ogunmola of ICDO won the quarter mile in 46.49 to leave Abiola Onakoya (46.66) and Godday James (47.15) both of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps struggling for the second and third positions.

Bukola Abogunloko had no serious contest in the women 400m as the 2010 World Junior Championships 4x400m silver medalist coasted home in 52.83. Josephine Ehigie (53.10) of the Police team and Rita Ossai (53.94) of Mausi Club picked the silver and bronze.

2011 CAA Africa Junior Champs:

 Botswana Ready To Host Africa

More than 2,000 athletes from 30 African countries are expected in Botswana capital, Gaborone for the 10th Africa Junior Athletics Championships (AJAC) that kicks off in the Southern African nation today.

Botswana has spent months preparing to host the event and according to the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) president, Solly Reikeletseng, it is all systems go after all the intense preparations.

Initially, the tournament was supposed to be held at the 30,000 capacity National Stadium but had to be moved to the University of Botswana (UB) stadium as the other facility is still undergoing renovations.

Reikeletseng, in a release, said that despite some challenges they faced in preparations, they are confident of hosting a successful event.

"Obviously there will always be problems. Early this week, we had a problem with accommodation because some countries had arrived earlier than expected, but that was sorted out," he explained.

"We know we will make it. We did our best to renovate the UB Stadium to suit the event," he stressed. The stadium was closed three weeks ago to lay a new track as the previous was considered worn out for the continental youth showpiece.

Reikeletseng said that even some countries that did not confirm participation have arrived.

Botswana is hosting the tournament for the first time and will be represented by 58 athletes and hopes to use home advantage to win more medals. The championships will be officially opened today and will run till Sunday, 15^th May.

The CAA African Junior Athletics Championships is a biennial Africa athletics event organized by the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA). It was first held in 1994, only athletes under 21 years are allowed to compete.

The 2010 edition was hosted in Bambous in Mauritius.

IAAF Diamond League results

200m Men

1, Walter Dix, United States, 20.06. 2, Femi Ogunode, Qatar (Nigeria), 20.30. 3, Jaysuma Saidy Ndure, Norway, 20.55. 4, Jordan Boase, United States, 20.60. 5, Mario Forsythe, Jamaica, 20.86. 6, Ainsley Waugh, Jamaica, 20.90. 7, Omar Jouma Bilal al-Salfa, United Arab Emirates, 21.32.

200m Women

1, LaShauntea Moore, United States, 22.83. 2, ChaRonda Williams, United States, 22.95. 3, Patricia Hall, Jamaica, 23.16. 4, Blessing Okagbare, Nigeria, 23.19. 5, Alexandra Fedoriva, Russia, 23.31. 6, Consuella Moore, United States, 23.85. 7, Yelizaveta Savlinis, Russia, 23.98. Alexandria Anderson, United States, DNS.

Triple Jump Men

1, Teddy Tamgho, France, 57-4¾. 2, Leevan Sands, Bahamas, 56-1. 3, Alexis Copello, Cuba, 55-11¼. 4, Yoann Rapinier, France, 53-2¼. 5, Sief El Islem Temacini, Algeria, 52-7¼. 6, Mohammed Abbas Darwish, 52-2. 7, Randy Lewis, Grenada, 51-11¼. 8, Tosin Oke, Nigeria, DNS.

Long Jump Women

1, Funmi Jimoh, United States (Nigeria), 22-6¾. 2, Maurren Higa Maggi, Brazil, 22-6½. 3, Anna Nazarova, Russia, 22-2½. 4, Tatyana Kotova, Russia, 22-1¼. 5, Eloyse Lesueur, France, 21-10¼. 6, Ivana Spanovic, Serbia, 21-9. 7, Yuliya Pidluzhnaya, Russia, 21-7½. 8, Ineta Radevica, Latvia, 21-5¾. 9, Keila Da Silva Costa, Brazil, 21-10¼. Yelena Sokolova, Russia, NM.

 800 Men

1, Asbel Kiprop, Kenya, 1:44.74. 2, Michael Rimmer, Britain, 1:45.12. 3, Alfred Kirwa Yego, Kenya, 1:45.17. 4, Richard Kiplagat, Kenya, 1:45.48. 5, Antonio Manuel Reina, Spain, 1:45.55. 6, Marcin Lewandowski, Poland, 1:46.42. 7, Hamza Driouch, Qatar, 1:50.25. Sammy Tangui, Kenya, DNF. Belala Mansoor Ali, Bahrain, DNS.

1,500 Men

1, Nixon Chepseba, Kenya, 3:31.84. 2, Silas Kiplagat, Kenya, 3:32.15. 3, Mekonnen Gebremedhin, Ethiopia, 3:32.28. 4, Caleb Mwangangi Ndiku, Kenya, 3:33.05. 5, Haron Keitany, Kenya, 3:33.39. 6, Abdelaati Iguider, Morocco, 3:33.50. 7, Remmy Limo Ndiwa, Kenya, 3:33.65. 8, Ismail Kipngetich Kombich, Kenya, 3:34.38. 9, Geoffrey Kipkoech Rono, Kenya, 3:35.28. 10, Taoufik Makhloufi, Algeria, 3:44.78. Collins Cheboi, Kenya, DNF. Vickson Naran Polonet, Kenya, DNF.

3,000 Men

1, Yenew Alamirew, Ethiopia, 7:27.26. 2, Edwin Cheruiyot Soi, Kenya, 7:27.55. 3, Eluid Kipchoge, Kenya, 7:27.66. 4, Augustine Kiprono Choge, Kenya, 7:28.76. 5, Vincent Kiprop Chepkok, Kenya, 7:30.15. 6, Daniel Kipchirchir Komen, Kenya, 7:31.41. 7, Moses Ndiema Kipsiro, Uganda, 7:31.83. 8, Tariku Bekele, Ethiopia, 7:33.50. 9, Thomas Pkemei Longosiwa, Kenya, 7:33.93. 10, Essa Ismail Rashed, Qatar, 7:34.70. 11, Mark Kiptoo, Kenya, 7:34.82. 12, John Kipkoech, Kenya, 7:34.82. 13, Lucas Kimeli Rotich, Kenya, 7:35.57. 14, Yusuf Kibet Biwott, Kenya, 7:36.84.

400 Hurdles

1, Louis J. Van Zyl, South Africa, 48.11. 2, Cornel Fredericks, South Africa, 48.43. 3, Bershawn Jackson, United States, 48.44. 4, Kurt Leone Couto, Mozambique, 50.03. 5, Laron Bennett, United States, 50.28. 6, Richard Yates, Britain, 50.34. 7, Georg Fleischhauer, Germany, 50.46.

High Jump

1, Jesse Williams, United States, 7-7¾. 2, Kyriakos Ioannou, Cyprus, 7-7¾. 3, Moataz Essa Barsham Ahmed, Qatar, 7-7. 4, Donald Thomas, Bahamas, 7-6. 5, Dusty Jonas, United States, 7-6. 6, Aleksey Dmitrik, Russia, 7-6. 7, Konstantinos Baniotis, Greece, 7-5. 8, Tom Parsons, Britain, 7-3¾. 9, Alesandro Talotti, Italy, 7-3¾. 10, Rashid Ahmed al-Mania, Qatar, 7-2½. 11, Wojciech Theiner, Poland, 7-2½. 12, Andra Manson, United States, 7-2½.

Okagbare Returns For Golden League

Africa’s 100meter track queen, Blessing Okagbare will be returning to the track after over eights months out due to injury.

The multiple award winner is staging a comeback at the big stage with the Golden League which starts on Friday, 6^th May in Doha, Qatar.

According to the President of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Solomon Ogba, who left Nigeria for Doha on Thursday to monitor the sprinter, Okagbare is a grade A athlete by World standard and that she needs all the support for her success.

The AFN scribe who says he is using the opportunity to go round and see other top Nigeria athletes in Europe, said preparing the athletes for the challenges In continental and global competitions will go a long way in putting them in shape.

“Okagbare will be returning to the game after a long stay off due to injury. Without mincing word, she is a grade A athlete by world standard and we need to give her all the support. This is her first race and we expect her to get better as time goes on.

“She is good and other top athletes look up to her as a medal prospect in any big competition.

“I will use this opportunity to go round and see many of our other top athletes. We have to talk to them and prepare them for the challenges ahead in continental and global competitions,” he said.

Meanwhile, debunking insinuations that Damola Osayome’s case was pending due to doctor’s inability to look into her case, the former Delta State Commissioner of Sports said Osayome was suspended for six months and that she has completed her ban.

“As I speak with you now, Damola Osayome has served her six months ban which was handed over to her for testing positive to ban substances during the last Commonwealth Games in India last year.

Damola Osayome, Folashade Abugun and Samuel Okon tested positive to banned substance in the last Commonwealth Games that was held in India.

IAAF Roles Out Daegu World Champs prize Money

 …Record Breakers to get 100, 000 Dollars

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has rolled out prize money for the up coming World Athletics Championship in Daegu, Korea in August.

The athletics body also announced that 201 of the 212 IAAF Member Federations have declared their intention to participate at the Championships from 27th August – 4 September 2011.

The IAAF World Championships is the third biggest global sporting event after the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup, and will be the largest sports gathering on the planet in 2011.

The body said as always, there will be a huge prize purse on offer, with the IAAF paying a grand total of US$7,336,000, while stating that men’s and women’s Individual events; 1st to 8th places will get 1st 60,000; 2nd 30,000; 3rd 20,000; 4th 15,000; 5th 10,000; 6th 6000; 7th 5000; 8th 4000. Relays per team will get, 1st 80,000; 2nd 40,000; 3rd 20,000; 4th 16,000; 5th 12,000; 6th 8000; 7th 6000; 8th 4000.

The IAAF World Marathon Cup which is incorporated into the IAAF World Championships offers an additional total prize purse of US$142,000 distributed as follows: Men’s and women’s events; 1st to 6th places; Teams, 1st 20,000; 2nd 15,000; 3rd 12,000; 4th 10,000; 5th 8000; 6th 6000.

Meanwhile, the IAAF has stated that any athlete who surpasses a World record at the IAAF World Championships will be awarded US$100,000 donated by IAAF Partners Toyota (for Women) and TDK (for Men).

All figures are in US dollars.

Ogunode lead Qatari charge for Diamond League

Nigeria born and two time Asian Games gold medalist for Qatar, Femi Ogunode will lead the seven-athlete Qatari charge for the opening leg of the 2011 Samsung Diamond League on Friday.

Expectations are high on the Nigerian after he won the 200m and 400m double with national junior record times of 20.43 and 45.12 in the Asian Games last year. He aims to run faster on the Qatar Sports Club track this Friday.

Ogunode, six others Qatar athletes and another Nigerian, 100m Asian record holder Samuel Francis form the core of the Qatari team for the World Championships in Daegu, hoping to perform better than a bronze medal crop at the 2009 edition in Berlin.

After hosting the IAAF Grand Prix since 1997, Doha joined the inaugural Diamond League circuit in 2010. The same year, it hosted the first World Indoor Championships in the Arab world.

Doha is currently bidding with three other cities (London, Budapest, Barcelona or Seville) to host the 2017 World Championships. The decision will be taken by the IAAF Council in November.

Athletes Jostle For Golden League 2Million

All attention and roads will lead to the University of Port Harcourt Sports Complex in Rivers State this weekend for the first in the series of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Chief of Naval Staff Golden league competition.

The event which was scheduled to hold in Kaduna was later taken to Port Harcourt due to the crisis that rocks the state after the presidential election.

The Golden League, which is liken to the IAAF Diamond League, will see top Nigerian athletes jostling for the 2 million cash prize at stake.

Reacting to their readiness for the championship, some of the athletes said they can’t wait to return to the track and field and put in their best to lay claim to the 2 million naira prize.

According to the AFN 2^nd All Comers Championships best male runner Tobi Ogunmola, the Golden League is here again and it is time to return to the track and prove critics wrong about Nigeria athletes are good.

“This is another opportunity to prove that Nigeria has good athletes and I am going to River State to win and also win in all the other series of the Golden League.”

Tobi Ogunmola ran the fastest time in the 2^nd All Comers 600m with a time of 1.18second.

Meanwhile, 2010 ECOWAS Games U-23 gold medalist, Agbaje Ovie Fredrick who said he is set to do what he knows how to do best, by going to Port Harcourt to run.

The Ososo in Edo state born athlete said commendation should be given to the AFN for this very sound and innovative initiative of trying keeping the athletes very busy and at the same time doling out two million as prize money which he says he will fight for. “Though athletes are not getting the necessary support, we have to commend the AFN for putting this up, I am all set for this year’s first edition of the Golden League this weekend, I am going there to do what I know best, which is winning,” he said.

To win the Jackpot athletes are expected to win at least five of the six legs of the event and in the event that more than one athlete achieves the feat then they will all share the two million naira up for grab.

Some of the events to be competed for include (Men): 100m, 400m, 800m, 400mhurdles, Triple Jump, High Jump,

4x100m and 4x400m. Women are to compete in 100m, 200m, 400m, 1500m, 5000m, 400m hurdles, Long Jump, 4x-100m and 4x-400m.

Six cities across the country are to host the different legs of the event; they are Lagos Kaduna, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Delta and Abuja.

Athletes Jostle For Golden League 2Million

All attention and roads will lead to the University of Port Harcourt Sports Complex in Rivers State this weekend for the first in the series of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Chief of Naval Staff Golden league competition.

The event which was scheduled to hold in Kaduna was later taken to Port Harcourt due to the crisis that rocks the state after the presidential election.

The Golden League, which is liken to the IAAF Diamond League, will see top Nigerian athletes jostling for the 2 million cash prize at stake.

Reacting to their readiness for the championship, some of the athletes said they can’t wait to return to the track and field and put in their best to lay claim to the 2 million naira prize.

According to the AFN 2^nd All Comers Championships best male runner Tobi Ogunmola, the Golden League is here again and it is time to return to the track and prove critics wrong about Nigeria athletes are good.

“This is another opportunity to prove that Nigeria has good athletes and I am going to River State to win and also win in all the other series of the Golden League.”

Tobi Ogunmola ran the fastest time in the 2^nd All Comers 600m with a time of 1.18second.

Meanwhile, 2010 ECOWAS Games U-23 gold medalist, Agbaje Ovie Fredrick who said he is set to do what he knows how to do best, by going to Port Harcourt to run.

The Ososo in Edo state born athlete said commendation should be given to the AFN for this very sound and innovative initiative of trying keeping the athletes very busy and at the same time doling out two million as prize money which he says he will fight for. “Though athletes are not getting the necessary support, we have to commend the AFN for putting this up, I am all set for this year’s first edition of the Golden League this weekend, I am going there to do what I know best, which is winning,” he said.

To win the Jackpot athletes are expected to win at least five of the six legs of the event and in the event that more than one athlete achieves the feat then they will all share the two million naira up for grab.

Some of the events to be competed for include (Men): 100m, 400m, 800m, 400mhurdles, Triple Jump, High Jump,

4x100m and 4x400m. Women are to compete in 100m, 200m, 400m, 1500m, 5000m, 400m hurdles, Long Jump, 4x-100m and 4x-400m.

Six cities across the country are to host the different legs of the event; they are Lagos Kaduna, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Delta and Abuja.

Violence Forces AFN Golden League Out of Kaduna

…Garden City to host first leg May 6

The first leg of the 2011 Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Golden League earlier scheduled to hold in Kaduna has been moved to the University of Port Harcourt Sports Complex in the Rivers State capital.

Maria Wophil, the Secretary General of the AFN who announced the shift of venue of the Meet, said that May 6 and 7 dates for the track & field Meet remain unchanged.

“The Golden League will begin on Friday May 6 and end on May 7. The violence that rocked the city of Kaduna that we had earlier scheduled to host the first leg forced us to move it to Port Harcourt. We don’t want to risk the lives of our athletes in an environment were people are rioting over elections,” observed the former national handball star.

Mrs. Wophil frowned at speculations in a section of the media insinuating that the competition has been placed on hold due to sponsorship problems.

“I don’t know where the reporter who wrote that report got his facts from. We (AFN) never told anybody we were having funding problems over the league. Everyone in the country is aware of the developments in the political climate and if we opted to move the League to a place that we feel is more secure, I don’t know how that translates to cancellation,” fumed the soft spoken scribe of the AFN.

Dr. Ken Anugweje, AFN board member who is also the director of sport at the University of Port Harcourt at the weekend expressed his joy at the prospect of hosting the Golden League.

“University of Port Harcourt is one of the best sports complexes in the country. You need to come over to see the ultra modern, IAAF certified track we have there. It is, perhaps, the best we have in the country at the moment,” observed the sports medicine expert.

He said he was expecting good competition during the Golden League as most states would want to use it to prepare for the National Sports Festival (which incidentally, Rivers State is hosting next month.)

Unlike the previous editions, the AFN is planning to have a compact League that would be full of respect due to the quality of races and distances churned out of top athletes. It is also expected that there is going to be an improved prize monies to be won.

AFN President Hails Suswam, Gusau’s Elections

President of the Athletics Federation (AFN) Chief Solomon Ogba has hailed the re-election of Dr. Gabriel Suswam as governor of Benue State as well as the victory of Alh. Ibrahim Shehu Gusau in the House of Representatives elections.

“We are indeed very proud of the successes of these worthy board members of our federation. We therefore congratulate them and hope they remain our ambassadors for the development of track & field in the country,” observed the former Delta State sports commissioner. Governor Suswam is the honorary president of the AFN while Gusau; a former commissioner in Zamfara State is the 1st vice president of the federation.