By Onochie Anibeze

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State Tuesday visited Warri Township Stadium, the venue of the Africa Youth Athletics Championships and after inspecting the facilities there, he uttered three words as a preamble to what he had to say: ‘’We are ready.’’

He was particularly impressed by the EDM (Estimated Distance Measurement) equipment the state  acquired for accurate distance measurement and the reconfiguration of the Warri Stadium to accommodate track and field events of international standard.

File photo: US’ Tianna Madison (L) and Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare compete in the women’s 100m heats at the athletics event during the London 2012 Olympic Games on August 3, 2012 in London. AFP PHOTO

The stadium has a four lane warm- up track with jump facilities outside. It is the only stadium in Nigeria outside the Abuja National Stadium that has such facilities. The EDM equipment is the first of it’s kind in Nigeria.

It is from Timetronics, arguably, the best in the world. It’s a timing device for the management of competitions so that tapes would no longer be required to measure distances in events like Long Jump, Javelin, Triple Jump etc. The reaction of athletes at the start lines are also recorded. It is so sophisticated that five Belgians and one Dutch are in Warri to install it and also teach Nigerian officials how to operate it. Delta acquired it and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria will be using it for the first time in Nigeria.

’’We are setting standards to help develop sports so that our athletes will be encouraged to do their best to raise their own standards and be among the best in the world. It is from competitions like this that the likes of Blessing Okagbare were discovered and being a youth event it could be the springboard to many athletes from Africa,’’ Uduaghan said after his inspection. He will be at the accreditation centre this morning to do his own accreditation for the continental event that will actually kick off tomorrow, (Thursday).

Today has been set aside for arrival and accreditation.

Uduaghan said something that should interest Nigerian athletes. ‘’If you are identified as a talent, we have a development programme that could help you achieve your potential.’’

On the event that Warri is hosting he asked questions from LOC Chairman, Amaju Pinnick and having seen for himself what was on the ground he said ‘’we are ready for Africa.’’

Africa’s queen of the tracks Mary Onyali, AFN scribe Maria Whophill, Amaju Pinnick,  and Commodore Omatseye Nesiama who is the tournament director were among those who took the governor around the facilities including the media tribune and media centre. Uduaghan asked some technical questions on the EDM which gave him out as keen follower of track and field. Onyali was handy in answering them. Uduaghan left the stadium a happy man.