Sports
TONOBOK Okowa, President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), says the performance of Nigerian runners and the organisation of long distance races are getting impressive in the country.
Okowa told newsmen in Abeokuta on Sunday that he was highly impressed with the organisation of the 2024 Lotus Bank/Abeokuta 10-kilometres race and the performance of several Nigerian runners.
”This race keeps on improving, every year, and that is a credit to all, especially the organisers,” he said.
The AFN President said he was impressed with what the event’s organisers have been doing.
”Normally, this race used to end at the stadium. But, this time around, it ended at the palace of the Alake of Egbaland which is in the centre of the city and on the road.
”This helps to give the event a good ambience, which is very good for a road race,” he said.
Okowa said this good organisation was capped with the impressive performance and return by Nigerian athletes in the race won by Francis James of Plateau.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that James won the race in a time of 30 minutes 11 seconds.
”I am not only happy with what I have seen in the organisation, but what my athletes have done.
”It all means we are coming up in that event among the long distance races in the athletics family.
”They are improving and getting better by the day and that is a good thing for us, that our long distance runners are coming of age.
”I can remember that in Abuja we recently had a good race, and there was also the Okpekpe race. Really, we are on to a good thing,” Okowa said.
He pointed out that what is more noteworthy is the fact that Nigerian runners are having good personal bests that would stand them in good stead in getting into bigger races.
”When an athlete is having a good personal best, it means that athlete is doing something good and he or she is doing better than what he used to be.
”It also shows that the coaches are doing something right, and that is my own area of interest.
”It U.S. not just about their participation but about doing better they used to do,” the AFN a President said.(NAN)
Photo Caption: Tonobok Okowa, President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN),
29th September, 2024.
C.E.
Tags: Athletics Federation of Nigeria Tonobok Okowa
