Nigeria: AFN Golden League – Three Down, Two to Go

Duro Ikhazuagbe

23 May 2011

The third leg of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Golden League held at the weekend in Abuja has had Delta athlete, Ogho Oghene Egwero further lowering the 100m time record of the meet to claim his third consecutive victory.

He posted a 10.26 to stay in contention for a share in the N3m jackpot prize on line in the league.

Obinna Metu (10.45) of the Nigerian Prison Service Club was second while Nigerian Army runner, Benjamin Adukwu (10.50), placed third.

Egwero, who struggled with hamstring hours before the event at the Abuja National Stadium had earlier won his semi final race in 10.31, an improved time over the 10.33 he won it in Ado Ekiti penultimate weekend.

“I am really getting into the groove now,” smiled the petit runner as he fielded questions at a post race chat.

“I believe I can still do better on this time with more concentration on my training programme. If I continue like this, there is nothing stopping me from running a 10 flat or even running a sub 10,” remarked Egwero who is going to compete at the CAA meet in Dakar this weekend.

Agnes Osazuwa (11.53) who is competing in the League for the first time easily won the women sprint event leaving Deborah Odeyemi (11.68) of the A-Class Club and Goodness Thomas (11.80) of the Police team to pick the second and third places respectively.

Osazuwa told reporters after the race that she had hoped to start her season on a good note in Abuja and now that she has won the race, she feels she is on the right track to a glorious season. She posted 11.53 at the Abuja meet.

“I have never started my season with an 11.5 before,” she said. “To me, what this portends is that if I have an injury free season, I should be able to reach to the podium at the All Africa Games in September for any colour of medal. I’m hoping that would be yellow in colour.”

However, it was the results of the men’s 400m that seemed to have made AFN big wigs very happy. It had Abiola Onakoya, Segun Ogunkole and Tobi Ogunmola all running the A-standard under 46 seconds. They posted 45.89, 45.91 and 45.92 respectively, which is a good return by African standards.

In the women version of the quarter-mile, Bukola Abogunloko ran a slow 53.39 to remain in contention for a share in the jackpot prize money. Nkiruka Nwakwe (53.50) and Josephine Ehigie (53.76) were second and third respectively.

In the relays, Delta State remained the team to beat in the series as Egwero anchored their 4x100m quartet to another gold medal in 40.09. Delta won the first two legs. Similarly, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) retained their 4x100m women gold, clocking 45.25.

The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC) Dr Patrick Ekeji, who witnessed the Abuja leg of the series alongside other top officials of the commission, commended the AFN for the League, saying it has the potential to become the cursor for a splendid performance at the All African Games slated to hold in Maputo in September this year.

He then dropped a hint on the possibility of reviewing the concept of sports associations as currently constituted, in order to attract the private sector to participate.

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