AFN in race to produce two teams at national trials in Benin

• As C’weath Games clashes with World Junior Championships
• Foreign-based stars to pocket $2,000

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) faces an uphill, but surmountable task, as it moves to produce two teams at the national trials in Benin City to represent the country at the Commonwealth Games in England and the World Athletics U-20 Championships, tagged Cali 2022 in Colombia.

While the Commonwealth Games is slated to hold from July 28 to August 8 in Birmingham, the World U-20 Athletics championship will hold in Santiago de Cali, Colombia, from August 1 to 6.

At the last World U20 Athletics Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, Nigeria recorded one of its biggest sports achievements in track and field, finishing third on the medals table with four gold and three bronze medals. Prior to the Nairobi event, the highest Nigeria ever recorded on the medals table was the seventh spot it achieved in 1990 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, with two gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

Before the Commonwealth Games in late July, AFN has a major task in Oregon, U.S., where the nation’s athletes will participate in the 2022 World Senior Athletics Championship from July 15 to 25.

The Guardian learnt yesterday that the leadership of the AFN is still searching for funds to prepare and prosecute the three assignments.

A source hinted yesterday that AFN President, Tonobok Okowa, is in talks with the Sports Minister, Sunday Dare, on how to fund the competitions.

“The AFN just came from the African Athletics Championships in Mauritius, and a lot of money was spent. The Federal Government has to come to its aid. These are three major championships and Nigeria can’t afford to send a strong team to Cali, Colombia,” the source said.

Contacted yesterday, Okowa told The Guardian that Nigeria has young athletes capable of surpassing what the country achieved in Nairobi.

“ We have several young athletes who can win medals at the World U-20 in Colombia. Some of them will also be part of the Commonwealth Games. Now that the two championships will hold almost at the same time in August, we have to test the junior athletes at the national trials in Benin. Then, we will open two camps immediately, one for the junior athletes and the other for the World Championships/Commonwealth Games. As I said, some of our junior athletes will be at the Commonwealth Games and the others in Colombia,” Okowa stated.

Meanwhile, six reigning African champions are among the athletes expected in Benin to battle for Commonwealth Games and World Championships tickets.

AFN’s head of media, Oludare Esan, said the reigning African champions will be led by Chukwuebuka Enekwechi. Others are Raymond Ekevwo, Commonwealth Games medallist and reigning African Games long jump queen, Ese Brume, Tobi Amusan, and Chioma Onyekwere.

AFN Secretary-General, Adisa Beyioku, revealed yesterday that foreign-based athletes will be compensated with $2,000 each at the end of the trials in Benin, while home-based stars will pocket N150, 000 each.

As for the standard set for the trials, foreign-based athletes must run 10.05s (male), and 11.15s (female) in the 100metres, while local stars will run 10.70s (male) and 11.85s (female).

For the 200m, the standard for foreign-based athletes is 20.24s (male), 22.80s (female), while home-based stars will have to run 21.50s (male) and 24.25s (female).

Arrival date for the national trials is June 20, while departure is set for June 25.