By Ben Efe

Athletics Federation of Nigeria president, Solomon Ogba said he was looking beyond the shores of Nigeria in search of young talents that will make the country proud in the future.

Ogba who was speaking in Lagos during the week stated that there were lots of Nigerian born junior athletes in the USA, who will be willing to represent Nigeria at international events.

He noted that he had drawn up a list and will stop at nothing at convincing these kids and their parents to come to Nigeria rather that wait for a chance to appear in the colours of the USA or any other country that may want to recruit them.

Dashing to the finish…(L-R) Ivory Coast’s Murielle Ahoure, Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare and Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce during the women’s 200 metres final at the 2013 IAAF World Championships at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow yesterday.

“We are aiming to embark on a massive recruitment of Nigerian junior athletes abroad. We have quit a good number who are willing to come to Nigeria.

“I have a long list we are considering. Some of these junior athletes have even indicated their interest to come home in the near future,” Ogba said.

He added that the federation was eager to revive Nigerian athletics, most especially the male sector that has become moribund.

“Since the exit of athletes like Uchenna Emedolu and Olusoji Fasuba we have not had quality male sprinters. We hope to train some of the juniors that we have on the list and others at home towards that end.” Ogba said.

More task for athletes at AFN golden league

Nigerian athletes may be facing a tougher task in next season’s golden league meet as the AFN is ready to raise the bar in the only competition available for home-based Nigerian athletes to show off their prowess.

This year, there was furore after the AFN set the B standard of the world championships as the yardstick performance for athletes who wish to earn money in the golden league. But According to AFN president, Solomon Ogba this was even too low.

“Our athletes need to work harder. What does it take to run the world’s B standard?

“We are even thinking about raising the standards. For instance if any athlete cannot run bellow 21 seconds in the men’s 200m then they don’t qualify for any prize.

“I don’t know what is really the fuss. Divine Oduduru a youth ran 21 in Ukraine and our seniors are grumbling about running the B standard?

Why we lost women 100m gold — Emedolu

Former Nigeria sprinter and coach of the Nigeria team to the African Junior Athletics Championships, Uchenna Emedolu has said that Nigerian women surrendered the 100m gold because there wasn’t enough time to groom Ese Brume and Nkem Ezealah for the task.

He explained that athletes like Margaret Bassey and Peace Uko who were earlier picked to do job were dropped from the team for being above 20. Brume and Ezealah seem to be in a strange land as they struggled for form in the women 100m final that was decided yesterday.

“Brume and Ezealah weren’t well prepared for the race. We have been putting our hopes on Bassey, but she was dropped.

“We have to draft Brume who is a long jumper. If we had enough time the new girls we had would have done better. Again this was their first race in the championships, there wasn’t any heat for them to gain confidence.” Emedolu said.

AFN technical director, Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama corroborated Emedolu’s submission.

“We had to drop those who were considered overage. For us now, it is not about winning but grooming the athletes with potentials to do well in the future.”