Mt Sac will propel Nigeria athletes – Ogba
President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Evangelist Solomon Ogba has pointed that this year’s Mt Sac Relays competition in California, USA will show a measure of what to expect from the country’s athletes throughout this year and especially at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
Speaking on the heels of the commencement of action at the relays on Thursday, Ogba noted that, being the first major international championship for Team Nigeria this year, the country’s athletes will be able to judge themselves and propel their efforts for subsequent competitions in the current calendar.
The AFN president stated further that the relays in California will be used to analyze the weaknesses and strengths of Nigerian athletes competing, so as to better their performances before the Pen Relays next weekend in Philadelphia, USA and other championships including the Africa Senior Athletics Championship and Commonwealth Games.
According to him, competing in the Mount Sac Relays is not about winning but tuning up the athletes for major events because some of the world best athletes from other countries will be in California.
“For Nigeria to participate at the Mt Sac Relays is not to go and win but to tune up the athletes. We are going to use the championship to watch and see the weakness our athletes have and work on them before the Pen Relays which will hold next week in Philadelphia,” Ogba said.
Nineteen athletes, including Gloria Asumnu, Obinna Metu, Amaechi Morton, Regina George, Nicholas Imhoapermhe, Noah Akwu and Abiola Onakoya are representing Nigeria in the ongoing championship.