AFN hopeful as Junior athletes depart for World Championship tomorrow

After one month of preparation in Asaba, Delta State, Team Nigeria’s junior athletes will, tomorrow, depart for Nairobi, Kenya for the 2021 World Athletics U-20 Championships. The competition will run from Tuesday, August 17 to 22.

The athletes and their officials left Asaba for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Thursday to perfect their travelling plans, which include doing all necessary COVID-19 tests as required by World Athletics.

Officials of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) said yesterday that they were hopeful the junior athletes would get good results in Nairobi.

“We have given the athletes the necessary training they need to do well in Nairobi, and we are hopeful they will give Team Nigeria good results,” head coach Seigha Porbeni told The Guardian yesterday.

Porbeni, a former sprinter, jumper and hurdler, stated that Team Nigeria had quality athletes, who can compete successfully against their counterparts from other parts of the world.

Three U.S.-based junior athletes Favour Ofili (Louisiana), Best Erhire (Tennessee) and Udodi Onwuzurike (Michigan) are in the 27-man squad to Nairobi 2021.

President of the AFN, Chief Tonobok Okowa is also optimistic of a good outing for Team Nigeria in Nairobi.
Nigerian athletes will feature in several events, including 100m, 200m, 400m, long jump, high jump and the relays.

Team Nigeria’s athletes have been in camp in Asaba, Delta State since July 23, where they took part in open trials on July 29. The final squad was selected on Tuesday. Over 1,300 athletes from 128 countries are expected to compete in the Championships.