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Athletes thrill Maurice Greene, as CAA/Warri Grand Prix holds today

By Gowon Akpodonor
23 July 2015   |   11:55 pm
Former World and Olympics 100m champion, America’s Maurice Greene, is excited with the turn out of both the local and foreign athletes for this year’s CAA/Warri Grand Prix, which holds today at the Warri City Stadium. Green, who led a cream of US-based Nigerian athletes into the country on Tuesday night, spoke yesterday after watching…
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Former World and Olympics 100m champion, America’s Maurice Greene, is excited with the turn out of both the local and foreign athletes for this year’s CAA/Warri Grand Prix, which holds today at the Warri City Stadium.

Green, who led a cream of US-based Nigerian athletes into the country on Tuesday night, spoke yesterday after watching the athletes in training at the complex in readiness for today’s contest.

But the President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Dr. Solomon Ogba, wants local athletes to use the opportunity of mixing up with their foreign counterparts to improve their speed in readiness for the All Nigerian Open, which will serve as selection for both the World Athletics Championship in Beijing, China and the All African Games holding in Congo Brazzaville.

Maurice Green jetted into the country on Tuesday alongside top athletes including Olivia Ekpone and speed star, Gloria Asumnu.

Over 20 Nigerian athletes will do battle with their counterparts from the United States, Great Britain, Botswana, The Gambia, Ghana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, United Arab Emirates, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Mozambique.

The meet’s premium events are the Men- 100m, 400m, Women- 100m, 400m, 400m Hurdles with the winner going home with $4,000. The prize money for some other events have been downgraded in line with IAAF rules, especially if the number of foreign athletes competing in such events are not up to the required number.

To lead Nigeria’s quest are the likes of US-based Dominique Duncan and Regina George, Doreen Amata, Samson Idiata, Chinwe Okoro, Patience Okon, Ogho-Oghene Egwero and Obinna Metu.

Some foreign-based athletes to watch out for include America’s Albert Huntley, Great Britain’s triple jumpers Kola Adedoyin and Nathan Fox.

Speaking with The Guardian yesterday, Ogba said he was impressed with the response of the athletes for this year’s CAA/Warri Grand Prix, adding: “The turn out is fantastic. I am challenging our local athletes to use this chance of competing with the foreign stars to improve their standard.

“The All Nigeria Open Championship will hold next week, and the AFN will only look the direction of athletes who meet our standard because the days of carrying all manner of athletes for competitions abroad are over. We will take only those we are sure can give us medals to the IAAF World Athletics Championship in China and the All African Games in Congo Brazzaville,” Ogba said.

The AFN boss praised Delta State government and those who contributed to the hosting of the championship in Warri.

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