CAA Region 2 Championship: Okowa showers praises on ‘Team Nigeria’ athletes for emerging winners
Success and glory as the saying goes have many fathers, mothers, relatives, associates and friends as the holy writing states, if a man is skillful at his work, he will dine with Kings not with common men.
That is certainly true with the victorious members of ‘Team Nigeria’ Athletics to the just concluded Confederation of African Athletics CAA Region 2 championship in Accra, the Ghanaian capital.
The 22 man contingent of ‘Team Nigeria’ Athletics topped the medal table at the end of the two day event with 13 gold, 4 silver and a bronze medal ahead of host Ghana and Burkina Faso.
The President of the AthIetics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Tonobok Okowa was very excited and equally encouraged with the out put of the team of home grown athletes that engraved their names in gold as well as making history for themselves and Nigeria.
“Nigeria’s AthIetics will offer more to the World if encouragement comes from all and sundry to assist them. I am elated and proud of our young athIetes.
“We as a Federation will continue to try our very best to encourage the athIetes to help them succeed,” Okowa who is also the President of CAA Region 2 stated.
Similarly the Technical Director of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Samuel Onikeku, is also full of praises for the youthful ‘Team Nigeria’ Athletics that is dominating the regional block for the second year in a row.
Former President of AFN, Chief Solomon Ogba, who is also a Vice President of Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) as well as a board member of AFN representing South West Zone Dr. Solomon Alao were also appreciative of the athletes’ prowess and achievement in Ghana.
They extolled the performance of the athIetes and assured them of the Federation’s continuous assistance and support, stating that their future is brighter than they think.
The highlights of their sterling performance on Wednesday night was in mix 4×400m relay which ‘Team Nigeria’ won in style at the expense of their noisy host, Ghana
Another heart warming result came from the hand of Nigeria’s emerging Javelin thrower Samuel Adams Kure, he kept spectators on their feet when he won the gold after throwing 70.23m.
Kure said, “There is more in the tank.”
It will interest you to know that ‘Team Nigeria’ Athletics has been recording back to back successes in the last four months.
“They topped the medal table at 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana in March, qualify four out of five relay teams at the World Relay Championship in Bahamas in May and
won the CAA Region 2 championship in Accra, Ghana in June
Besides these team efforts, individual members of ‘Team Nigeria’ Athletics have been posting excellent results in all major competitions since April this year.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s contingent is back in the country to face the National Trials in Benin in a week’s time. The Trials will be used to select ‘Team Nigeria’ to the Africa Seniors Athletics Championships in Douala, Cameroon and the Olympic Games in Paris, France.
