May 06, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s Sports Minister, Sunday Dare, is set to welcome home the country’s victorious athletes from the African Under-18 and Under-20 Athletics Championship in Ndola, Zambia, in a ceremony to be held on Saturday, in Lagos.
The Nigerian team finished second on the final medals table with 17 gold, 10 silver, and 9 bronze medals. The team’s small contingent of 41 athletes was surpassed only by South Africa, which sent a 105-strong delegation to the competition.
Athletes such as Osamuyi Faith, who won gold and silver in the relay and 100m hurdles, expressed their excitement at being part of the team, while Ewa Peace, who won a silver medal in the high jump event, was thrilled to have the opportunity to meet athletes from other African countries.
Meanwhile, the President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tonobok Okowa, praised the athletes for their achievements and revealed that the Sports Minister had promised to receive the second batch of athletes and officials upon their arrival in Lagos. The Technical Director of AFN, Samuel Onikeku, also defended the decision to travel to Zambia in two batches, citing logistical difficulties in securing over 50 seats on a single airline.
He urged Nigerians to appreciate the efforts of the present AFN Board and celebrate the athletes for their impressive performance. Team Nigeria’s success is a testament to their hard work and dedication and marks a promising start to their athletic careers. The AFN must now see to their continued grooming towards improvements at the senior levels.
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.
