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 2nd 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 2nd 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.
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