August 20, (THEWILL) – The recent exploits of Nigeria’s Under-20 contingent at the ongoing World Athletics U-20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya got the commendation of the country’s Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, when he congratulated the 4x400m Mixed Relay team for their record-breaking gold medal race.
As THEWILL reported, the young Nigerian quartet of Johnson Nnamani, Imaobong Nse Uko, Opeyemi Oke and Bamidele Ajayi ran a new 3:19.70 African and Championship record to become the first winners of the event at its maiden occasion to open Nigeria’s medals account for the competition.
Dare acknowledged this feat as he praised the team, saying: “I want to specially congratulate our U-20 team for making history in Nairobi.
“This Gold is for all Nigerians and this should serve as the perfect start the new board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) needs to correct the ills of the immediate past and return Nigeria among the major athletics nations in the world.
“I remember how dominant we were in the early years of the championship when we dominated the sprint and quarter mile events. I still vividly recall how Tina Iheagwam, Falilat Ogunkoya and Mary Onyali dominated the 100m and 200m events at the inuagural edition of the championship in Athens, Greece in 1986.
“I also remember we won the women’s 400m in successive editions. Who will forget how Francis Obikwelu became the second sprinter to win the 100m and 200m in 1996 in Sydney, Australia?”.
The Honourable Minister revealed that he will follow the rest of the Championship to see the strides the athletes were making to bring honour and glory to their fatherland. He then challenged the beleaguered AFN to build on the successes the youthful athletes were recording in Kenya.
He directed his words straight at the Federation when he said: “I am calling on the AFN to ensure the athletes discovered here are monitored and given the necessary encouragement to make them follow in the footsteps of their predecessors like Falilat Ogunkoya, Mary Onyali, Ese Brume, Chioma Ajunwa and Blessing Okagbare who grew to become individual Olympic medallists for Nigeria.”
About the Author
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.
