Don’t blame our juniors for world youth fiasco - Emedolu, Amike

Former Nigerian internationals Henry Amike and Uchenna Emedolu took a retrospective look at the performances of the Nigerian team at the last IAAF World Youth Championships in Ukraine and declared that the outing is a reminder that much work needed to be done, if athletics were to prosper again in Nigeria.

[caption id="attachment_373978" align="alignnone" width="412"] DIVINE GOLD – Oduduru Divine of Nigeria celebrating after winning the 200m boys final in a time of 21.56sec. Photo: Henry Unini[/caption]

The Nigerian juniors raised expectations after they won most of the gold medals at the maiden Africa Youth Championships in Warri, Delta State. But the athletes, including Divine Oduduru, failed to re-enact their form in Ukraine despite being camped for over a month in Port Harcourt in readiness for the meet, where the likes of Helen Opanachi shone during her hey days.

“I don’t know what happenned  to the athletes. They were in camp for a month or so to prepare, we expected a medal at least in the relays. But I don’t want to point accusing fingers at the coaches, the athletes or the AFN. We have fundamental problems we must take care of, if we have to do well in the  sport,” said Amike who holds the national 400m hurdles record, a 48.50 seconds he set in 1987.

Sprinter and 2004 Olympics bronze medalist, Emedolu submitted that two months of preparations couldn’t have put the athletes in a competitive mood in Ukraine.

“There’s isn’t much the coaches can do in two months. There is a whole lot of things involved.

“We have to do what other countries are doing if we want results. These athletes must have started their build up since October last year, but that was not the case because there were no funds to sustain their training.

“On their own, these kids cannot afford good diet, they cannot get good conditioning. These things cost money. We really need to help our athletes, their welfare is nothing to write home about. Public and private concerns and individuals who have the means should help the sport. We have athletes here, but if we cannot give them the right training then we will continue to get results like this.”

IAAF WYC ends with Team Nigeria in 30th position

Team Nigeria’s only medal’s hope in the boys 200m Ejowokoghene Oduduru finished sixth position on Sunday to take the country to 30th position on the placing table, as the 8th IAAF World Youth Championship ended in Donetsk, Ukraine.

Oduduru who injured himself in the race, returned 21.37 seconds.

[caption id="attachment_372794" align="alignright" width="250"] ANTELOPE - Oduduru[/caption]

He was admitted in the IAAF Medical centre soon after the race and was replaced in the boys medley relay event where Nigeria placed 7th on Sunday.

Jamaican Michael O’Hara won the 200m in a time of 20.63 secs, while Brazil’s Victor Hugo Dos Santos and Cuba’s Reynier Mena were second and third respectively.

Oduduru’s sixth position moved Team Nigeria from 39th position to 30th. The country finished fifth in the girls 400m and eight in the boys 110m hurdles.

Though there was no medal won, but Team Nigeria was able to make it to  four finals as against the three finals at the last edition in France. Top athletics countries such as Bahamas, Colombia, Belgium, Canada and the Netherlands occupied between the 43rd and 52nd positions at the close of events yesterday.

Jamaica with six gold and two bronze medals was top on the table, followed by Kenya (four gold, three silver and four bronze.) Australia and Ethiopia had three gold medals, while the United States finished with two gold medals.

The host country, Ukraine had one gold.

Other top athletics countries like Bahamas, Canada, Belgium and The Netherlands had no medals in the competition. They finished between the 43rd and 52nd positions on the placing table.

Nigeria striker Obafemi Martins is nursing a calf injury and as such did not feature for Seattle Sounders against San Jose Earthquakes.

 

IAAF World Youth Championship: Team Nigeria will do Africa proud — coach

Nigeria’s contingent to this year’s IAAF World Youth Championship in Donetsk, Ukraine are hopeful of winning medals and do Africa proud as the the events begin today.

[caption id="attachment_107286" align="alignleft" width="280"] Athelets making their way up the Obudu hill[/caption]

The delegation led by the Vice President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tunde Abdulkareem left Lagos on Monday evening to join the athletes and other officials who were already on ground in Donetsk.

Speaking on arrival Tuesday, two coaches attached to the team, Abraham Odia and Raymond Agboro said they were confident that Team Nigeria will live up to expectations in the championship.

Odia pointed out that the fact that Team Nigeria was able to rule Africa at the last African Youth Championship (AYAC) in Warri, Delta State, was enough for the athletes and officials to know that much is expected from them in Ukraine.