AFN To Engage Ex-Internationals

 Bearing any unforeseen circumstance, The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), is getting set to engage some ex-internationals in building Nigeria athletes for a better performance this year.

According to the President of the Federation, Solomon Ogba, the AFN will be engaging 6 ex internationals who will be sent to the different zones of the country for better monitoring of athletes.

Ogba said the decision became necessary due to the fact that the body does not have any Coach as they do with the ones sent by states while elaborating that the 6 ex- internationals will be engaged as consultants and that the AFN have already discussed with the National Sports Commission.

“The AFN as a Federation don’t have any employed coaches; we make do with what the states are bringing. Now we are trying to do something that will engage 6 ex-international athletes that we are going to send to the different zones and we are trying to engage this team as consultants, we have discussed it with the National Sports Commission.”

Speaking further, Ogba said, “This was what Joe Garba did in the early 70s and we are starting it this year. “If I should recall, when I came in 2009, I said we are going to rebuild the process and now you can see a much improved athletics in Nigeria.”

Speaking on the Coaches, the former Delta State Commissioner of Sports said, “We have used about 20 coaches that came in to assist and we now know those that can take athletes from one level to the next level.

“We have some good coaches who understand, but the problem is application. Everybody knows you need to run three trials but how do you as a coach applies it and when? This is scientific,” he said.

Ogba said the likely ex-internationals to be engaged by the AFN are, Falilat Ogunkoya, Mary Onyali, Gebral Okon, Olusule and Tom Nwakwe.

Abinuwa Falls As Suji Takes Gold In C-USA Indoor

Nigeria and University of Texas in El Paso (UTEP) sprinter, Endurance Abinuwa during the weekend at the Conference USA Indoor Champions (C_USA), at the Yeoman Fieldhouse in Houston, could not re-ignite the spark that saw putting in good performance in the past fifty days.

Abinuwa, who has been in splendid form this season, could only manage seventh position in the 60m dash clocking 7.42 in the final and running 24.39seconds in the 200m finals which placed her in the sixth over all position after taking the second position.

In the preliminaries of the 60 and 200meters, Abinuwa ran a time of 7.32 to take the second position and 24. 17 which gave her the third position respectively.

Another Nigerian in the UTEP colors, Suji Adeniyan won gold in the 4x400m in the men's grand finale of the C-USA Indoor Championships in a time of 3:18.22. The team ran a steady race, holding the lead for nearly the entire event and crossing the line 1.21 seconds ahead of second-place Tulsa.

The former University of Lagos student has so far when the season started been in fine form for the University of Texas in El Paso (UTEP).

It would be recalled that Africa track queen, Blessing Okagbare, in the 2010 Conference USA Outdoor Championships (C-USA), donning the UTEP colors, was named the 2010 Conference USA Outdoor Championships female Performer of the Meet and the High Point Scorer of the Meet for the second consecutive year in Orlando, Florida.

Okagbare, who's also a nine-time All-American, won the women’s long jump with a leap of 6.58m in her first attempt, took the second in 6.41m and passed on the remaining four attempts of the competition.

Okagbare then took the 100m title in 11.36 seconds and later led her UTEP teammates Shalaiyah Sommerville, Endurance Abinuwa and Siohbian Crain to second place with a season-best time of 44.36 seconds in the women's 4x100m relay in 2010.

MIAA Tourney: Domike Breaks Triple Jump Record

Nigeria triple jumper and The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) long and triple jumper, Nkeiruka Domike broke the MIAA record in the triple jump after the second day of the league indoor track and field championships at Central Missouri, Warrensburg, Mo during the weekend.

Domike, who was the record holder in the Div 11 toppled her own record and posted the winning jump of 43-8 on her third jump, setting the conference and Central Missouri fieldhouse record in the process.  She outdistanced runner up Stephany Johnson of Central Missouri by more than three feet.  Domike has already posted the Division II record jump of 45-1 ¾.

It would be recalled that Nkeiruka Domike early this year posted the 19th-best jump in the world and shattered her own Division II-leading mark on day two of the prestigious Tyson Invitational at Arkansas early this month.

Domike now leads all Division II jumpers by nearly five feet and the Conference.

Abinuwa Falls As Suji Takes Gold In C-USA Indoor

Nigeria and University of Texas in El Paso (UTEP) sprinter, Endurance Abinuwa during the weekend at the Conference USA Indoor Champions (C_USA), at the Yeoman Fieldhouse in Houston, could not re-ignite the spark that saw putting in good performance in the past fifty days.

Abinuwa, who has been in splendid form this season, could only manage seventh position in the 60m dash clocking 7.42 in the final and running 24.39seconds in the 200m finals which placed her in the sixth over all position after taking the second position.

In the preliminaries of the 60 and 200meters, Abinuwa ran a time of 7.32 to take the second position and 24. 17 which gave her the third position respectively.

Another Nigerian in the UTEP colors, Suji Adeniyan won gold in the 4x400m in the men's grand finale of the C-USA Indoor Championships in a time of 3:18.22. The team ran a steady race, holding the lead for nearly the entire event and crossing the line 1.21 seconds ahead of second-place Tulsa.

The former University of Lagos student has so far when the season started been in fine form for the University of Texas in El Paso (UTEP).

It would be recalled that Africa track queen, Blessing Okagbare, in the 2010 Conference USA Outdoor Championships (C-USA), donning the UTEP colors, was named the 2010 Conference USA Outdoor Championships female Performer of the Meet and the High Point Scorer of the Meet for the second consecutive year in Orlando, Florida.

Okagbare, who's also a nine-time All-American, won the women’s long jump with a leap of 6.58m in her first attempt, took the second in 6.41m and passed on the remaining four attempts of the competition.

Okagbare then took the 100m title in 11.36 seconds and later led her UTEP teammates Shalaiyah Sommerville, Endurance Abinuwa and Siohbian Crain to second place with a season-best time of 44.36 seconds in the women's 4x100m relay in 2010.

Globacom Committed To 2011 Marathon, Says AF

Globacom Limited, the Official Sponsor of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Lagos International Half Marathon has restated its interest and commitment to the annual international long distance championship. Mohamed Jameel, the Group Chief Operating Officer (GCOO) of the telecom giant, offered the assurance during a courtesy call on the company by officials of AFN led by the President, Chief Solomon Ogba at the Mike Adenuga Towers Headquarters of Globacom.

Ogba, who spoke after the meeting described the deliberations as "very positive for athletics and Globacom Limited". The AFN boss further disclosed that issues arising from the cancellation of the 2010 edition of the Glo/Lagos International Half Marathon were amicably resolved and "the AFN wishes to clarify that the partnership with Globacom remains very intact".

He said officers of Globacom and AFN will in the days ahead consider appropriate dates for this years Glo/AFN Regional Half Marathon which will be holding for the first time and the third edition of the Glo/Lagos International Half Marathon.

 “We have amicably resolved issues that caused the initial friction in the relationship. We have even agreed to hold the 2011 edition in November starting with the brand new Glo/AFN Regional Half Marathon,” observed Ogba, a former Delta State Sports Commissioner.

While thanking Globacom for the interest shown towards the development of track and field in the country by sponsoring the half marathon,

The Glo/Lagos International Half Marathon offers the highest prize money in sub-Saharan Africa and is an IAAF listed event that has attracted the cream of international runners from Africa and Europe.

Nkeiruka Ready To Defend MIAA Indoor Title

Triple jumper and Nigeria silver medalist at the 2010 Africa Senior Athletics Championship in Nairobi, Kenya, Nkeiruka Domike is all set to defend her best triple jump time this weekend.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) long and triple jumper posted the best triple jump in Division II history earlier this year and is both the defending national champion and MIAA champion in the event.

Nkeiruka will be heading with her school team mates to Warrensburg, Mo. for the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association Indoor Championship. 

The meet is being held at Central Missouri and Nkeiruka and her school, the Mavericks, is the two-time defending MIAA champions indoors.

Domike is the defending national champion in the triple jump and is also the defending champion in the MIAA which she won by almost two feet last year in Joplin, Mo.

This year, Domike leads the nation in the triple jump with a Division II-record jump of 45-1 3/4, nearly five feet longer than the next athlete. 

In the long jump, Domike, competing in the event for the first time in North America this year, leads the MIAA with a jump of 19-3 1/2, a mark that's second best in the nation.

It would be recalled that Nkeiruka Domike early this year posted the 19th-best jump in the world and shattered her own Division II-leading mark on day two of the prestigious Tyson Invitational at Arkansas early this month.

Domike now leads all Division II jumpers by nearly five feet.

Abinuwa Targets Honors In C-USA Indoor Championship

Nigeria gold medalist in Kenya, Endurance Abinuwa will this weekend be on track with the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), for the Conference USA Indoor Champions at the Yeoman Fieldhouse in Houston.

Abinuwa, who has been in splendid form this season, took first place in the 60-meter dash at the Lobo open and the UNM Invitational and second place in the 200-meter dash at the UNM invitational.

At last year's C-USA Indoor Championships, the UTEP women team, which has Abinuwa clinched first place and the men made their way to third place.

This year’s edition will see Abinuwa and some other team members returning to help the Miners, as UTEP is called make their mark at this season's C-USA Indoor Championships.

According to Endurance Abinuwa, she will be running the 60m which have two people ahead of her in time and the 200m.

She said with her training; if she has the chance in getting ahead the two, she will definitely get to the top.

“I'm doing the 60-meters and the 200-meters and my coach has already told me that there are two people ahead of me in the 60-meters and if I have any chance to get them, I'm going to get them,” she said.