Tobi Amusan, the world record-holding 100-meter hurdles star from Nigeria, Favour Ashe, Temitope Adeshina, and other elite international athletes have already arrived in Lagos for the 2024 Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) National Trials, which will take place from June 16–18 in Benin City, the capital of Edo State.
Read Also: Minister of Sports Applauds Temitope Adesina For Breaking Nigeria High Jump Record
The competition will be used by the AFN to select the athletes who would compete for Nigeria in the next two major championships, the African Seniors Athletics Championships in Douala and the Olympic Games in Paris.
The Technical Director of AFN, Samuel Onikeku reviewed that all the top athletes were already in Lagos and the remaing are aspected to arrive today.
“Tobi Amusan is in town, we have Ashe Favour, Temitope Adesina and many of them. We’re expecting just a few more from the united state,” Onikeku stated.
He also explained how the Trials’schedule clashed with the nation’s Salah celebration.
According to the Federation, there was no intention to undermine the celebration of Eid-El-Kabir by Muslims, saying the clarification becomes necessary following steps by some individuals to paint the AFN as a body that does not have regards for the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) in the country.
The Confederations of African Athletics (CAA) announced a new date of June 21–26 for the African Senior Championships in Douala, after the AFN’s previous announcement of June 26–28 for the National Trials.
The National Trials had to end in Benin City at least two days before departure because the AFN uses them to choose Nigerian athletes for the Cameroonian competition, and most of the participants are based in abroad.
The athletes will leave Douala for a training tour abroad on July 1st in preparation for the Olympics in Paris, following the conclusion of the African Senior Championships.
The AFN begged the Muslim faithful, especially MURIC, to put up with the federation despite its hectic schedule.
