AFN still hopeful of medals, says Onikeku
09 August 2024 |
4:00 am
Team Nigeria’s hope of getting to the podium in both men’s and women’s 4x100m relay teams was dashed, yesterday, as they crashed out in their semifinal races at Stade de France.
Ogazi leads the 4×400m relay against France, Italy, Spain, and others today
Team Nigeria’s hope of getting to the podium in both men’s and women’s 4x100m relay teams was dashed, yesterday, as they crashed out in their semifinal races at Stade de France.
The failure of the relay teams notwithstanding, Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Samuel Onikeku, declared, yesterday, that the federation is still hopeful of picking medal(s) at the Paris Olympics.
“Things may not be looking good as of now (yesterday morning), but we are still hopeful of getting at least a medal here in Paris,” Onikeku told The Guardian at the end of the morning session of track and field events.
Nigeria made consecutive women’s 4x100m finals at Atlanta 96, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, and Beijing 2008 when they won a silver medal. The country’s 4x100m relay teams also made the final at London 2012 and Rio 2016.
The country failed to make it to the final at the Tokyo Olympics, and will not be there again this time around after the women’s teams failed yesterday, making it the second straight Olympics Nigeria will not be presenting a team in the final of the women’s 4x100m.
The quartet of Justina Tiana Eyakpobeyan, Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma and Tima Godbless neither picked any of the three automatic tickets on offer nor run fast enough to be considered among the fastest non-automatic qualifiers even with the disqualification of Cote d’Ivoire and Belgium.
The Nigerians ran 42.70, a personal season’s best to place sixth in their semifinal heat, and ninth in the overall classification.
This will be the first time Nigeria will not make two consecutive finals in the event since 1992 when the country returned to the event after a 24-year absence to win a bronze medal.
Also yesterday, Nigeria’s men’s 4x100m relay team failed to advance to the final for the fifth straight Olympics after the quartet of Favour Ashe, Kanyinsola Ajayi, Alaba Akintola, and Itshekiri ran 38.20, a personal season’s best to place seventh in their semifinal heat, and also seventh in the overall classification in terms of the time they ran.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s men’s 4x400m relay team is expected to be one of the three automatic qualifiers from the second semifinal today to qualify for the final of the event.
The Nigerians, led by Samuel Ogazi have been drawn in what can be considered a fair draw. The team will need the speed of individual 400m finalist, Ogazi to play a huge role in driving it to its first final since 2004 when they won a bronze medal in Athens, Greece. The team is capable of breaking three minutes at the Olympics for the first time since the team ran 2:58.68 to win gold at the 2000, in Sydney, Australia.
Nigeria has been drawn against two nations who have broken three minutes this season and three others who have run faster than the country, but the Ogazi factor can make the difference.
South Africa, 2:59.76, and Belgium, 2:59.84, are the two nations who have broken three minutes this year with the South Africans parading three athletes who have broken 45 seconds this year and another just outside 44 seconds, while the Belgians, like Nigeria, have two athletes who have ran inside 45 seconds.
Host country, France (3:00.77SB), Italy (3:00.81SB), and Spain (3:01.44SB) will also battle Nigeria for the automatic tickets on offer.
The Nigerians hold a personal season’s best of 3:01.70, their fastest in recent time.
Related
Sport
1 day ago
Usyk is relentless. He’s refusing to leave Fury alone and is peppering him with shots. Fury does briefly step in to land a 1-2 to Usyk’s body, but he seems caught in two minds. The pair then smash their heads together in a messy exchange but, thankfully, there is no damage to either man.…
1 day ago
Usyk is so hard to slow down. He just keeps marching forward. Fury dominated that last round but Usyk doesn’t yet seem to be feeling the pace of the fight and he immediately goes on the attack. Fury does lead another good lead left hook, which he follows with a right to the body, but…
1 day ago
Usyk stepped up the attacks to the body in that last, he’ll be hoping they have some accumulative damage as the fight progresses., Fury keeps standing his ground, but he’s not firing too many shots – and he’s yet to find those right uppercuts that worked so well for him in the opening rounds of…
1 day ago
Fury doubles up on the jab, then cuffs Usyk with a left hook., Usyk is doing a good job staying away from Fury’s lead right hand so far. He’s moving his head well, feinting, stopping Fury from launching anything too damaging., They come together a shuddering clinch but quickly separate., Usyk targets the body as…
1 day ago
Usyk looking serene Fury took his time getting to the ring, soaking up the atmosphere. He shadow boxes a little in the ring as we wait for Usyk to make his entrance. Usyk looks ice-cool but menacing as he swiftly makes his way to the ring. READ ALSO:Fury vs. Usyk: Boxing aficionados pick who will…
1 day ago
Fresh report emanating from Riyadh says Tyson Fury has told his promoter Frank Warren that he wants a third fight with Oleksandr Usyk even if he claims the crown in their title fight on Saturday. The United Kingdom-born challenger immediately called for a rematch, as part of the fight’s terms, after the first bout but…
1 day ago
@Itunu Fury vs. Usyk: Boxing aficionados pick who will win? Here’s the hot take from three legendary boxers – current and former – as to who might win tonight between Fury and Usyk. Daniel Dubois, IBF heavyweight title holder (Picks Fury) Dubois, against all odds, defeated Anthony Joshua and is the man…
1 day ago
The last bout that precedes Usyk versus Fury's bout has been won and lost after Itauma knocked out McKeane halfway through the round. Well, that didn’t last long! No doubt that many, many more fans will know who Moses Itauma is after his first-round knockout of Demsey McKean just now. READ ALSO:Live build-up: Who is…
1 day ago
Television cameras have revealed what Tyson Fury’s dressing room looks like as he gets his hands taped ahead of the fight. It’s the first sighting of either boxer ahead of the main event. Fury appeared fully focused – as he promised he would be for this fight. No joking around this time! READ ALSO:Live…
1 day ago
Fury is a two-time heavyweight world champion and has been a professional boxer since 2008. The Manchester-born 36-year-old stands 2.06 metres (6 ft 9 inches) tall, with a record of 34 wins, 24 by knockout, and one defeat (34-1-1, 24 KOs). READ ALSO:Heavyweight foes Usyk, Fury set for titanic rematch Who is Oleksandr Usyk? Usyk…
×
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
0 Comments
We will review and take appropriate action.