Sunday Adeleye, Technical Director, Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), says there will be no automatic ticket for any of the 915 male and female athletes competing to represent the country in nine events at the Commonwealth Games, Gold coast, Australia.
Adeleye made the assertion on Thursday at the National Stadium, Abuja venue of Commonwealth Games trials, saying that each of the events would be judged with the AFN standards.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Ibrahim Gusau-led AFN recently rolled out new standards for each athletics event which is a bit above IAAF standards.
NAN also reports that Nigeria will participate in 100m, 200m, Javellin, Shotput, Long Jump, Discuss, Decathlon, 4x100m and 4x400m, among other events at the Commonwealth Games.
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The Abuja trials which started on Wednesday would come to an end on Friday.
At the end of the trials, athletes that qualified would be invited to camp ahead of the Commonwealth Games holding between April 4 and April 15.
“If 100 athletes meet the standard, so be it, it will be a fight between the athletes and standard,’’ he said.
The technical director said the federation was already seeing the benefits of its programmes.
“IAAF sets their standards but the AFN sets its own above that of IAAF and about six athletes have met the standards.
“It is always good for our athletes to do periodical check on their current form and performance; that is why we started the season in December 2017.
“Athletes are already in camp for the Commonwealth Games since December and they are still in this trials to prove their mettle among their peers,’’ he said.
Adeleye expressed satisfaction in the conduct of the athletes.
Source: G Sport
