Nigeria Star Athletes Jet In for National Athletics Trials in Benin City

World Record holder and this year’s quickest runner over women’s 100m hurdles Tobi Amusan, has touched down in the country ahead of the highly anticipated Athletics Federation of Nigeria AFN National Trials in Benin City, Edo State.

Also in town for the mother of all National Trials is brisk sprinter Favour Ashe who is the fastest Nigerian runner in the men’s 100m this year, and National high jump record breaker, Temitope Adeshina.

Almost all the foreign-based athletes have arrived in Nigeria for the event, which the AFN is using to select the nation’s athletes for the African Senior Championships holding in Douala, Cameroon and the Paris Olympics.  

The Technical Director of the AFN, Samuel Onikeku, stated that virtually all the top athletes are already in various hotels in Lagos, and the rest is expected to arrive on Friday.  

“We already have a full house,” Onikeku said. 

“Tobi Amusan is in town, we also have sizzling hot sprinter, Ashe Favour, the new ‘Kid On The Throne’ in the high jump, Temitope Adeshina and many of them. We are expecting just a few more from the United States.”

One athlete that Nigerians will be looking out for at the Trials at the famous Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City is record breaker, high jumper Temitope Adeshina.   

She recently set a mark of 1.97m for a National Record and Personal Best at the NCAA championships in Eugene, Oregon in the United States.  

In the sprint event, all eyes will be on Favour Ofili in the women’s 100m and 200m as well as Favour Ashe, Godson Brume and Udodi Onwuzurike in the men’s event.  

The rivalry between Ese Brume and Ruth Usoro will be another interesting battle to watch in the long jump arena, just as record holder, Samuel Ogazi and Chidi Okezie are expected to set the track ablaze in the 400m men.

African Games champion, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi will be the cynosure of all eyes in the men’s shot put event.  

AFN’s advance party will hit Benin City on Friday to meet with the Chairman of Edo State Sports Commission (ESSC), Yusuf Alli to finalize arrangements for the National Trials that would make a return to the Art and Cultural capital of Nigeria.

Means the President of the Federation, Chief Tonobok Okowa, says the Athletics governing body will select only the very best athletes, who are capable of winning medals for the country at the African Senior Championships in Douala the economic capital of Cameroon.   

“For years, we have been looking for a way to top the medals table in the African Senior Championships, and I believe we have the chance to make history this year in Douala, Cameroon based on the quality of stars at our disposal,” Okowa who is also the President of Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Region 2 stated.

The trials are set for 18 to
20 June 2024.