Daily Trust

AFN All Comers train makes final stop in Abuja …As National Div One volleyball league spikes off today

- By David Ngobua

The city of Abuja will come alive beginning from today as two major national sporting events will be held at packages A and B of the MKO Abiola national stadium.

From today, May 12 to Friday, May 13, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, All Comers competitio­n will make its third and final stop as preparatio­ns continue for July/August’s Commonweal­th Games.

The competitio­n, which began at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium in Benin in March moved to the Yaba College of Technology Sports Ground in Yaba, Lagos last month and is now making its final stop in Abuja.

While the competitio­n in Lagos was used as the final window for home-based athletes to secure the qualificat­ion standard for the 22nd African Senior Athletics Championsh­ips scheduled to hold in Mauritius in June, the Abuja event will serve as the final chance for the athletes to secure places in the AFN Classics scheduled to hold in Benin in a fortnight.

Samuel Onikeku, the AFN technical director has said the All Comers competitio­n was designed to give athletes the competitio­n they require to aid their preparatio­ns for the major athletics championsh­ips and games this summer.

Meanwhile, 16 teams will be taking part in the National

Division 1 League which is scheduled to commence today at the indoor sports hall of MKO Stadium, Abuja.

The Chairman Media and Publicity of Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF), Hon Famous Daunemigha confirmed that eight men and four female teams have officially registered for the league while four others have indicated interest.

Hon. Daunemigha revealed that the venue of the league was moved from Bauchi to Abuja due to the visitation of Confederat­ion of Africa Volleyball officials to Nigeria.

He said the men’s club expected to feature are Nigeria Immigratio­n Service (NIS), UCEM Spikers, Wikki Spikers of Bauchi, Spartan

Spikers of Yola, ABM of Katsina, Equity Spikers of Kebbi, Caliphate Spikers of Sokoto and Oluyole Spikers of Oyo state.

In addition, the Representa­tive of South-South on the board of the NVBF said “Only four women’s teams have met up with the requiremen­ts and they are Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Spikers, Anambra Queens, Wikki Queens and Spartan Angels.

“The Federation is still waiting for official confirmati­on from Nigeria Air Force (NAF) Rockets, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Queens, Heartland Queens of Imo State and Life Camp of Abuja.”

The National Division One League will end on Sunday, May 22, 2022.

 ?? ?? Nigeria’s promising young athlete, Gracious Junior Ushie
Nigeria’s promising young athlete, Gracious Junior Ushie

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