National record holders, Divine Oduduru and Blessing Okagbare – Otegheri as well as in-form Ese Brume and Tobiloba Amusan topped Nigeria’s list of 51 athletes to African Games in Rabat, Morocco.
The list released by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) after the 2019 All Nigeria Athletics Championship that ended in Kaduna at the weekend, showed that Nigeria will present athletes in 29 track and field events at the quadrennial championship.
Also representing Nigeria in the men 100m are national trials champion, Itshekiri Ushoritse, Arowolo Emmanuel, Egwero Ogho – Oghene, Enoch Adegoke, Adeseye Ogunlewe, Alphonsus Anikeme and Raymond Ekevwo. Oduduru Itshekiri, Anikeme and Arowolo will also participate in the men 200m, while the 4X100 relay team will also be picked among them.
Blessing will be joined in the women 100m team by Joy Udo Gabriel, Grace Nwokocha, Rosemary Chukwuma, Mercy Ntia-Obong, Blessing Ogundiran and Bukola Adekunle. The women 200m and 4X100 relay team will also be picked among them.
Emmanuel Okenyi, Eraiyokan Orukpe, Shedrack Akpeki, Adeyemi Sikiru, Samson Nathaniel, Anthony Okezie and Isa Salihu will represent Nigeria in the men quarter mile and 4X400m relay. Patience George, Favour Odili, Amarachi Obi, Blessing Oladoye, Rita Ossai will represent Nigeria in the women quarter mile and 4X400m relay. Favour will also participate in women 200m, while Rita will also run the 400m hurdles.
Also included in the list are Ese Brume long jump, Doreen Amata and Esther Isa: high jump, Tobiloba Amusan and Grace Ayemoba: 100m hurdles, Ezekiel Abioye 110m hurdles, Grace Anigbata triple and high jumps, Mohammed Alowonle and Uwemedimo Akpan 400m hurdles. Samuel Osadolor decathlon, Ruth Francis heptathlon, Edose Ibadin 800m, Florence Olude race walk.
Representing Nigeria in shot put are; Oluwabanke Ogini, Olaloye Adelola, Comnell Enekechi and Kelvin Ogundeji. For discus we have Chukwujindu Onyekwere and Princess Kara. Promise Nwanaga, Samuel Kure and Prosper Chinechere are listed for javelin, while Olaloke Ogunrinde and Funmilayo Obisesan are heading to Morocco for hammer throw.
The athletes have commenced camping on Kaduna ahead of the African Games slated for next month.
