Thursday, 28th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

Ojokolo to lead Nigerian youth athletes to Colombia

By Gowon Akpodonor
20 March 2015   |   1:25 am
FORMER African queen of the tracks, Endurance Ojokolo, is among 14 coaches selected by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to tutor 40 athletes in preparation for this year’s African and World Youth Championships. The African Youth Athletics Championship will hold in Mauritius from April 23 to 26, while the IAAF World Youth Championship will run from July 15 to 19 in Cali, Colombia.

imagesAFN picks 40 athletes, 14 coaches

FORMER African queen of the tracks, Endurance Ojokolo, is among 14 coaches selected by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to tutor 40 athletes in preparation for this year’s African and World Youth Championships. The African Youth Athletics Championship will hold in Mauritius from April 23 to 26, while the IAAF World Youth Championship will run from July 15 to 19 in Cali, Colombia.

The AFN has advised the athletes to continue training in their various regions pending the conclusion of the presidential election scheduled for March 28. Technical Director/Chairman of AFN, Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, told The Guardian that because most of the athletes selected are in school, and with the 2015 general elections around the corner, the Technical Committee has directed a regional form of camping for the time-being.

He said that all athletes and coaches should contact the AFN Secretary General for necessary administrative briefs, adding that all invited athletes should commence intensive training immediately at their respective locations in preparation for final selection trials/closed camping in the first week of April.

Among the youth athletes selected are Idamadudu Praise, Bukunmi Oloye, Aniekeme Alphonsus, Omovoh Knowledge, Vivian Nnena Akunna, Omolayo Omosola, Okolosi Oghenekome, Uche Brown, Anigbata Grace, Isaac Esther and Jare Folarin.

Coach Ojokolo will take care of short sprints alongside coach Abiodun Johnson, while Enefiok Udo-Obong and Dele Solomon will oversee the long sprints, with Coach Gad Onumegbu taking care of the hurdles. Nesiama also stated yesterday that the AFN would participate at the Kenyan National Relays taking place on April 2. “We are expected to present our 4x400m men and women teams.

Consequently, we have invited Folashade Abugan, Omolara Omotoso, Rita Ossai, Tosin Adeloye (women), Noah Akwu, Orukpe Erakoyan, Fasasi Rilwan, Tobi Ogunmola, Isah Salihu (men) for the event. “These athletes will be tutored by Coach Gabriel Okon in Abuja. Our World relay teams would be selected from Nigeria and the US depending on athletes’ individual and collective performances,” he said.

0 Comments