The atmosphere around the Yabatech Sports Complex is currently wearing a new look ahead of the 2021 National Championships and Invitational Relays starting on Thursday, June 17.

The trials, which will be used to select Nigeria’s contingent to the delayed Games of the XXXII Olympics in Tokyo which is scheduled to hold from July 23 to August 8, 2021, will see 11 events taking place on the opening day.

The fans will have the opportunity of watching queen of the track, Blessing Okagbare (100m and 200m) competing alongside other top athletes like Tobiloba Amusan (100mH), Ese Brume (Long Jump), Grace Nwokocha (100m and 200m), Ruth Usoro (Long and Triple Jump), Annette Echiunwoke (Hammer Throw), Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (Shot Put) among others.

The National Championships is the flagship event of the AFN where the nation’s top athletes will converge to compete for honours and qualifications for major Championships and Games.

Morning events will witness the 20km women and men final, the 100m prelims, 400m heat (men and women), 1,500m women final and the hammer women final.
Apart from the 100m finals expected to take place in the afternoon, there will be the shot put men final with all eyes on Chukwuebuka Enekwechi.

Tobi Amusan will be geared up towards erasing the African Record in the women’s 100m hurdles when she takes to the track in the heat with the men’s 110m hurdles also taking place on Thursday.

Other events on the opening day are javelin men final and the 5000m men final.

Anyanacho was the star performer in Dakar as she settled for Silver medal at the 2021 African Taekwondo Championship.In the finals, she lost narrowly 8-10 to World champion and Olympic Medalist, Ruth Gbagbi of Cote D’Ivoire in the women’s -67kg to keep hope of her medal win in Tokyo alive.

Tobi Amusan ran another fantastic time which Could have been an African record, but was a slightly wind assisted time of 12.44s (+2.2) to win the final of the women’s 100mh in Florida.
Blessing Okagbare also put up an impressive outing at the Golden League to sustain a good build- up to Tokyo.

Speaking during their inauguration in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister said “The dissolution became necessary because of the expiration of your tenures.   
It is also important because of the Tokyo Olympics which is less than 90 days away.

This requires that all hands are on deck because continuity is necessary to ensure preparations for the Games are not hampered in any way. The Caretaker Committees were thus specially selected to reflect our aspirations towards podium appearances at the Tokyo Olympics.”

The Minister warned that he will not hesitate to remove any Caretaker Committee that works at cross purposes with the Federations aspirations.

“It is also important for the Caretaker Committees to know that your jobs terminate immediately after the Olympics as elections into the Federations will be guided by the constitutions and the Code of Governance.

“All the Federations with qualifiers will get needed support. We don’t have all the money, but we have the commitment. Let us know what you need and we will support you all the way..”    

Signed

Media Office of the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development
       

According to the Acting Director Of Field and Elites Athletes, Dr. Simeon Ebhojiaye, the athletes will be camped for three weeks in Port- Harcout, Abuja and Yenogoa.

In Port- Harcout, fourteen track and field athletes under the supervision of two coaches are in camp, in Abuja, 8 para athletes, 14 para table tennis players and 8 weightlifters are in camp, while 8 wrestlers are camped in Yenogoa, Bayelsa State under the supervision of two coaches.

The first phase of camping was conducted at the High Altitude training center, Federal College of Education, Pankshin, Plateau state with Four athletes in attendance.

The Pankshin camp was used as a prelude to reviving middle and long distance races in the country.

The first phase of camping held from November 20th- December, 9th, while the second would take place from 7th December- 24th.

 Signed

Media Office to the Honourable Minister of  Youth and Sports Development