Nigeria’s Relay Teams Take Qualification Quests to USA

Sports Minister, Sunday Dare, sees off the contingent at Lagos airport

Nigeria’s preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics has hit top gear as 16 athletes departed the Murtala Mohammed International Airport yesterday aboard Delta Airlines to Texas, United States of America (USA) where they will take part in some track and field meetings as they bid to qualify for the five relay events at the Games in Tokyo.

The 16 athletes and coaches decked in their new kits were seen off by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Dare.

The team had almost three weeks training in Abuja in preparation for the relay races they have been scheduled to take part in and which have been designated as qualifying events for the Olympics after missing out of the World Relays in Selasie, Poland due to visa hitches.

This is contrary to the report in a national daily which claimed Team Nigeria was stranded due to lack of funds.

‘’Our athletes are highly motivated to participate in various relay events in the United States contrary to a report in a national daily newspaper which claimed the team was stranded. As you can see, it is just the figment of imagination of the writer,” Secretary General of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Prince Niyi Beyioku told the few sportswriters at the airport.

Beyioku was full of praises for the Sports Minister who facilitated the trip.