Connect with us

Athletics

Fifty five Nigerian athletes set for camping ahead of  Africa U18 and U20 Championships

Published

on

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, has invited 55 athletes to camp for the final leg of preparations for the Africa U18 and U20 championships scheduled to hold later his month in Ndola, Zambia.

Majority of the athletes were picked after the AFN U18 and U20 trials held at the Ahmadu Bello stadium in Kaduna late last month.

Top of the list is 18 years old Ronke Ashabi who set a new Nigeria 3000m U20 record at the trials. Ashabi first set the record barely a year ago at the International School Sports Federation (ISF) held in Caen, France.

Also on the list of invited athletes are the reigning Nigeria 100m U20 record holder, Tima Godbless, Sule Rejoice Adijatu, Okpah Elo Blessing, Aladeloye Adetutu Funmilayo, Immaculate Daniel, Rosemary Etim and Grace Sule.

Others are Joseph Joy Ayomide, Kudoro Taiwo, Mustapha Ruqqayah Kemi, Akintoye Blessing Joy, Usenbor Osaretin Joy, Bright Ada Princess and Oshiokpu Grace. 

Advertisement

For the U20 men, Musa Kola Nurain, Ajayi Konyinsola Ismail, Adebisi Musbau, Unorji Kingsley, Toviho Enitan Olabode, Ajayi Kehinde, Ajayi Oluwabamidele, Badejo Emmanuel, Joshua Caleb, Okonye Precious, Charles Godfred Edward, Orekevwie Oghenetega, Iheakolam Joel and Habibu Salisu made the cut.

Faith Okwose will lead the charge for medals in the sprint for the U18 girls. The 17 year old won two silver medals in the 100 and 200m events behind Godbless at the National Sports Festival last December in Asaba, Delta state.

Others are Yakpobeyan Justina Tiana, Oyebode Stella Oluwaremilekun, Nwachukwu Chioma, Onyah Favour Onyinye, Saibu Yetunde Olayinka, Prestina Ochonogor, Ewa Peace, Irivi Precious, Djoma Fejiro Praise, Ofuoku Nyerhovwo, Ovedje Oke Gift and Kparika Victoria.

The U18 boys will have Isreal Okon Sunday, Daje Lucky, John Caleb, Samuel Ogazi, Olanrewaju Olawole Erioluwa, Francis James Musa,  Pam Paul James, Fiaku Goodluck,  Aninze Ifeanyi, Isaac Chukwuwike Miracle, Sadiq Zakariyya, Dickson Christain,  Badmus Gafar Atandaand Blessing Emmanuel. 

The technical director of the AFN, Samuel Onikeku, said that the camp will open on Tuesday April 11, 2023 at the High Perfromance Centre in Abuja.

Advertisement

Nigeria finished third (13 gold, six silver and 13 bronze medals) behind South Africa and Kenya in the last edition of the championships held at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Athletics

Behold, CAS statement on Tobi Amusan

Published

on

Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan is the winner as the Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS has rejected the appeals filed by World Athletics and  WADA.

The decision confirms the decision taken by the World Athletics disciplinary tribunal finding that Tobi Amusan did not commit any anti-doping rule violation.

Here is the full statement of CAS.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed the appeals filed by

World Athletics (WA) and by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) against the decision issued on 17 August 2023 (the Challenged Decision) by the World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal (WADT) in relation to the hurdler Oluwatobiloba (Tobi) Amusan (Nigeria).

Accordingly, the Challenged Decision in which the WADT considered that Tobi Amusan did not violate Rule 2.4 of the WA Anti-Doping Rules (WA ADR) and that no period of ineligibility should be imposed on the Athlete is confirmed.

The Athlete was initially charged with committing an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under Rule 2.4 WA ADR following three alleged Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period.

In their respective appeal to CAS, WA and WADA had sought the imposition of a two-year period of ineligibility. The CAS Panel held a hearing on 19 January 2024. Having deliberated, the CAS Panel has issued its decision today dismissing both appeals. The CAS Panel unanimously acknowledged that the Athlete committed two filing failures but did not confirm the existence of a missed test, alleged by WA and WADA, which would have been the third Whereabouts Failure committed within a 12-month

Advertisement

period. Accordingly, the CAS Panel concluded that the Athlete did not commit an ADRV and that the Challenged Decision should be confirmed.

The reasoned award will be published by CAS unless the parties request confidentiality.

Continue Reading

Athletics

Tobi Amusan floors WADA and World Athletics!

Published

on

Tobi Amusan’s Trial Begins Today -

Nigeria’s Paris 2024 medal hopeful, Tobi Amusan has been cleared as the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) has dismissed the appeal filed by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the World Athletics.

 She is therefore cleared to feature at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Amusan is the 100m hurdles world record holder.

The athlete  was charged in July last year with missing three anti-doping tests in 12 months but was cleared of the offence by the Disciplinary Tribunal of the sport’s governing body, World Athletics.

The Integrity Unit of the World Athletics appealed the clearance which has now been dismissed by CAS, the final arbiter in the case.

CAS in its statement remarked that its panel “unanimously acknowledged that the athlete committed two filing failures but did not confirm the existence of a missed test, alleged by WA and WADA, which would have been the third Whereabouts Failure committed within 12 months.”

Advertisement

Amusan set the world record of 12.12 seconds in the world championships in Eugene, Oregon, in July 2022 and went on to win the title.

She finished sixth in the world championships in Budapest last year.

World Athletics’ anti-doping rules say any athlete failing to declare their whereabouts for a doping test on three occasions over 12 months is ineligible to compete for two years.

Continue Reading

Athletics

Tobi Amusan thanks God for success at CAS in doping case

Published

on

An elated Nigeria’s 100m hurdles world record holder, Tobi Amusan has thanked God for her success in an appeal filled against her by the Athletics Integrity Unit  of the World Athletics.

Had the appeal been upheld, ,Amusan would  have has to miss the Paris 2024 Olymoics.

“It’s ALL GOD” Amusan said in an Instagram post alongside the court’s announcement.

Amusan, who broke the world record during her semi-final race at the 2022 world championships, is a hot favourite in her signature event at the Paris Olympics, which begin on July 26.

World Athletics and WADA did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Most Viewed