Nigeria's high athletes are anticipated to go to Asaba on February 16 for the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Making of Champions (MoC) trials, scheduled to happen on the Stephen Keshi Stadium from February 17 to twenty, 2024.
In keeping with the AFN, the trials shall be used to pick out athletes for the Africa Video games to be held in Accra, Ghana in March.
The main target shall be on the ladies's 100m occasion, the place Tima Godbless, Favor Ofili and Rosemary Chukwuma are the favorites for the title.
Chukwuma ran a private greatest of seven.11 seconds in her debut 60m race of the season. Children like Religion Okwose and Tiana Eyakpobeyan shall be hoping to make waves and maybe safe their first nationwide senior call-up within the 4x100m relay crew in Asaba Trials.
The boys's 400 meters is one other extremely anticipated occasion that includes standout NCAA athlete Dubem Nwachukwu.
Nwachukwu, who was distinctive within the NCAA in 2023, is anticipated to make a mark this time as it’s the US-based boy's second time representing Nigeria.
He was on the 2023 World Championships in Budapest the place his goal was to win his first Nigerian title and assist the 4x400m relay crew attain the usual. However that couldn't occur.
Additionally within the combine to win his senior title is new sensation Samuel Ogazi, who was unbeaten on residence soil within the 2023 season. Ogazi shot to sub-46 seconds on the AFN Golden League in Abuja final yr, and he’s among the many US-based athletes anticipated to mild up Asaba this weekend.
Ifeanyi Ojeli has discovered his toes once more, simply as Raphael Egbuchulem and Samson Nathaniel are additionally high candidates for Nigeria on the Africa Video games.
Within the subject occasions, all eyes shall be on Ese Brume and Ruth Usoro within the lengthy leap. World silver medalist Brume would be the outright favourite for the ladies's lengthy leap title when she involves Asaba. However this time she could have a scrumptious conflict with Ruth Usoro, who can also be at her greatest this season.
Usoro rose to the fifth greatest leap on the earth in Bermuda final yr, whereas Brume continued to enhance this yr.
Within the ladies's discus throw, defending champion Chioma Onyekwere, NCAA silver medalist Ashley Anumba and Nationwide Sports activities Pageant champion Obiageri Amaechi might be topped winners in Asaba. Onyekwere is the defending champion within the ladies's discus throw.
US-based Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (males's shot put) and Nnamdi Chinecherem within the javelin throw (if obtainable) shall be unchallenged for the title of their occasions.
There are additionally new stars to be careful for on the Asaba Nationwide Trials.
United States-based excessive jumper Temitope Adeshina made massive headlines a number of weeks in the past when she broke Doreen Amata's nationwide excessive leap file since 2016.
Competing for the second time in competitors within the US, Adeshina surpassed the peak of 1.96 meters and erased Amata's data of 1.93 meters indoors and 1.95 outside on the Corky Basic in Texas. The 1.96m degree is just barely beneath the qualifying commonplace for the Olympic Video games.
Adeshina would be the cynosure of all eyes on the Africa Video games in Ghana.
New sensation, Take into account Ekanem, can even flip heads in Asaba. Many athletics-loving Nigerians had been in a celebratory temper a number of days in the past when World Athletics lastly acknowledged Ekanem's 100m efficiency of 10.10 seconds because the quickest time on the earth thus far this season.
He set the file on the Dynamics Athletics Assembly on the Navy Sports activities Floor in Ojo, Lagos in late January.
Ekanem, educated by former African file holder Seun Ogunkoya, stormed residence first in a powerful all-time greatest setting of 10.10 seconds. It stays the quickest time on the earth over the gap, changing Cameroon's 10.13 second Itoungue Bogognie which ran simply days earlier.
Many count on him to comply with within the footsteps of his coach Ogunkoya, who additionally burst onto the Nigerian athletics scene with a bang in 1996, working 10.15 seconds on his option to successful the Nationwide Sports activities Pageant title earlier than retiring the yr then 10 seconds broke. He additionally defeated the good Davidson Ezinwa to win the Nigerian Championships.
