Nigerian athletics faces bleak future

Nigerian athletics enthusiasts can only hope for a
miracle to happen for the country to produce
podium performances at the 2016 Rio Olympics
starting in August.

Team Nigeria’s showing at the African Athletics
Championships, which comes to a close today in
Durban South Africa has left much to be desired. It
was even worse that the Athletics Federation of
Nigeria cannot present athletes to run in the
relays. Only the women 4x400m is in contention in
the final to be decided today. They are tipped to
win the gold.

With Nigerian teams’ inability to perform in the
relays, their chances of making the Rio 2016
Games remains gloomy. It is only the women
4x400m that is assured of a place in the Olympics.

In today’s events Divine Oduduru will try to rescue
a medal in the 200m, while Doreen Amata will vie
for the gold in the women high jump.

As at yesterday Nigeria has four gold medals
behind South Africa and Kenya. The table is
expected to remain the same at the end of the
championships.

“What is happening in Durban is something one
can’t really explain. No relay teams ? So why are
we there at all? No no no a lot is wrong,”a
former vice-president of the AFN lamented
yesterday.