AFN to work on athletes’ strengths, weaknesses

Athletics Federation of Nigeria’s (AFN) Technical Director, Samuel Onikeku, has said that country’s participation in the just-concluded 23rd African Senior Athletics Championships in Douala, Cameroon, has given the federation a clue on athletes’ strengths, weaknesses to focus on ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Onikeku disclosed that the AFN was awaiting the final signal form the Sports Ministry on the planned training camp in Germany, which was supposed to open on Monday.

Speaking with The Guardian at the end of the African Senior Athletics Championships, Onikeku stated that Team Nigeria returned from Douala with a lot of positives.

“We made a lot of progress in Douala despite the setback we encountered in some areas,” Onikeku said.

“This championship has given us opportunity to see the strengths of our athletes in some areas and the grey areas we need to improve upon urgently before the Paris Olympics.

“Now that this championship in Douala is over, the next step is the foreign training tour. If we get at least 21 days in the training tour, and some days of recovery for the athletes, it will go a long way in blocking some of the loopholes we noticed in Douala.

“Overall, I will say Team Nigeria did well in Douala and we are ready for the Olympics. We paraded the lowest number of athletes in the Championships in Douala compared to South Africa, Kenya and Cameroon. The Olympics is a different event, but I know we have athletes who can withstand the pressure against the world’s best when the battle for medals begins,” Onikeku stated.

AFN sources said, yesterday, that the technical committee would soon meet on the list of athletes to be submitted for the Olympic Games.

While the deadline for qualification for the Olympics has since elapsed on June 30, the deadline for submission of team lists is July 7.