16 Apr 2014 ThisDay Live reports an announcement by the President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Solomon Ogba, that the AFN and the National Sports Commission (NSC) are working hard to ensure a glorious outing for Team Nigeria at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Chief Ogba stated that the athletes were being trained to ensure that they would not only makepodum appearances in Glasgow, but would outdo their performances in Delhi in 200, where Nigeria won 2 gold medals.
He referenced Nigeria’s high expectations in sports by stating “Whatever you may achieve in sports, if you don’t appear on the podium, it makes no meaning to Nigerians. At the London 2012 Olympics, we were in 11 semi-finals and six finals, but Nigerians believed we didn’t do well at all, but I can tell you that it is no small feat to be in 11 semi-finals and six finals; some sports did not even qualify to be in London,’’
The AFN President went on to say that the season for home based athletes had opened with theover distance event in Ijebu-Ode. The athletes would perform in the five legs of the Golden League meets with a final in Benin and then head to Calabar in June for the National Trials.
He also mentioned the Warri Relay and Grand Prix before the All Nigeria Championships and sweetened the pot with the announcement of a two million naira jackpot, in addition to prize money for each leg.
For elite and overseas based athletes, Chief Ogba announced that they had been given training grants, with the athletes setting a new African record in the 4x400m.