July 08, (THEWILL) – The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has set its sights on bringing home medals from the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
AFN President, Tonobok Okowa, shared the federation’s plans and hopes in a recent interview.
A 35-member team will represent Nigeria in athletics at the Games, with 18 women and 17 men competing across nine events. The team will also take part in the 4x100m and 4x400m mixed relays. Before heading to Paris, the athletes will attend a training camp in Germany, arranged by the AFN and the Federal Ministry of Sports.
Okowa expressed confidence in the team’s medal prospects, singling out Tobi Amusan in the women’s 100m hurdles and Ese Brume in the long jump as strong candidates for gold. He also highlighted the relay events as potential medal opportunities, pending successful baton exchanges.
The AFN President emphasised that the Paris Olympics are part of a larger strategy. “Our mission is to build on the success of recent competitions and prepare our team for the 2025 World Athletics Championships and the 2028 Los Angeles Games,” Okowa stated. He noted that the current team is young, with more talented athletes in American colleges expected to join in the coming years.
Okowa addressed the absence of some athletes from the National Trials in Benin City, explaining that they were advised to rest due to minor injuries. He encouraged those who did not make the team to keep working hard, as future opportunities with Team Nigeria Athletics await them.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
