Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Performance Director, Victor Okorie says he is confident Nigeria athletes to the African Games would give a good account of themselves in Ghana when the all sports competition starts in March this year.
Okorie who is based in the United States says Nigeria’s foreign athletes are enthusiastic about the forthcoming African Games and have been training very hard to combine their academics with the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) season to ensure that they are in Ghana in fine shape and ready to do the nation proud.
He said the onus lies with the AFN to ensure that the foreign athletes get to the African Games in good time immediately after the end of the NCAA season for them to perfect strategies and train together for some days to ensure that they correct some of the lapses that have denied Nigeria laurels in some key areas in the sport in the past.
Okorie who won a silver medal in the 400m hurdles at the 2003 All African Games hosted by Nigeria thumbed up Nigeria’s athletes whom he said are making the country proud overseas.
“The African Games is around the corner and all our athletes in diaspora especially those in the United States are preparing very hard for the Games and other competitions in 2024 like the World Relays in May and the Olympic Games in Paris, France,” Okorie told dasportstainment247.com exclusively.
“The athletes are in their NCAA season and are combining with studies. The NCAA season ends March 9th and from there they will be airlifted to Ghana for the African Games. It will be difficult to organise closed camping for them in Nigeria because the African Games starts by March 8th through 21st. They should have some days of training before Athletics event starts.
“The dream is to top the medals table at the Games. We have many medals to win in Athletics and I am confident that our athletes will do the nation proud in Ghana. We expect them to give their very best and the way they have been performing in the circuits has given us high hope that they won’t disappoint.”
He also praised the efforts of the Sports Minister, John Enoh whom he said his reforms and actions have started helping to reshape sports in Nigeria. He charged the Sports Minister to ensure that the AFN is supported in all ramifications for Nigeria to excel in the sport.
“I want to appreciate the wonderful efforts of the new sports minister, Senator John Enoh for his good plans for Nigerian sports. He has put all the sports federations on their toes. He said Nigeria has the potential to perform at the African Games and other competitions,” Okorie said of the Sports Minister.
“These are good ways of motivating the sports federations but they must get all the necessary motivation to work with. Preparations for the African Games should be at advance stages now. We trust the sports minister to back up his good wishes with the necessary tools and things to work with.
Okorie who is also the AFN’s Liaison Officer added that efforts are at advance stages to get Marilyn Nwora to represent Nigeria. The University of Texas undergraduate has been turning heads with her performance in shotput with her over 18m season best thus far.
He said her change of allegiance to Nigeria before the African Games will help boost medals prospect in shotput with Ashley Anumba, Sade Olatoye and others expected to shine for Nigeria in the throw events.
