Abuja, Feb.6, 2019 (NAN) Nigeria’s representatives to the 12th African Masters Athletics Championships have promised not to disappoint the country at the event.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gloria Obajimi, President of Nigeria Athletics Masters (NAM) led five other athletes to the championships.
The championships commenced on Feb. 6 and would end on Feb. 9 in Rades, Tunisia.
Obajimi would compete in the 200m and 800m while Safiya Yahaya-Kongoila, the Assistant Secretary General of NAM would compete in the 100m, 200 and 400m.
Yahaya-Kongoila won gold in the last edition in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire in the 4 x 100m relay.
Also, Reuben Omavuah, who won gold 100m and 200m in Abidjan, would also go for laurels in the same events.
Dele Ige, gold in the triple jump at the 2016 edition at Limbe, Cameroun, would compete in the long and triple jump while Olajide Peters,representing Nigeria for the first time, would compete in the 100m and 200m.
Uruemu Adu, the Secretary of NAM, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that lack of fund hindered the association from sending more representatives.
« We would have had more athletes representing the country but due to lack of fund and not getting the necessary approval for some athletes.
« We would have gone with a larger team like the last edition where we went with 16 athletes and won overall cadre, » he said.
The 20 countries participating in the 12th edition include: Tunisia with 140 representatives, Algeria 75, Belarus, Belgium, DR Congo and Costa Rica one athlete each.
Cameroon registered 32 athletes, Egypt, two; Ethiopia, one; France, 12 athletes; Germany 6, Ireland registered one, Kenya 26 athletes while Libya has seven representatives.
Also, South Africa and Turkey registered nine athletes each while Ukraine, Uzbekistan and the United Kingdom registered one athlete each.
The next edition is scheduled for Kenya in 2021. (NAN)