Nigeria’s Track and Field returns to the front burner of discussions next week following the selection of six top athletes for the 12th IAAF World Indoor Championships scheduled for the newly laid surfaces of the Palau Velodromo Lluís Puig in Valencia between March 7 and 9.
Expectedly, All Africa Games reigning sprint king, Olusoji Fasuba leads the pack that also includes Uche Isaac, Damola Osayomi, Franca Idoko, Toyin Augusta and Christie Ekphukon.
Just like at the Algier Games when all eyes were on Fasuba, the former Obafemi Awolowo University undergraduate with season’s leading time of 6.51secs could emulate former quarter miler, Sunday Bada by giving Nigeria her second indoor gold. Bada’s feat in Paris in 1997 remains the lone gold for a country whose runners were almost threats to the Americans!
However, Fasuba’s good form before next weekend is not enough to begin to celebrate because he was once in such mood in 2004 but flunked at the championship in Budapest, Hungary. Two years later in Russia, the story was not different. That, is not to say that the Greece-based Ekiti indigene should be ruled out completely from making it to the podium for medal of any colour.
As for the ladies, Damola Osayomi who has dumped her college studies at University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) to concentrate on her track career may turn out the first Nigerian lady to land the gold after Chioma Ajunwa and Falilat Ogunkoya-Omotayo got the lesser colours at different times during their careers. However, the 7.19 seconds Osayomi ran at a meet in the USA a forthnight ago is nowhere near what can take her to the podium. She will be lucky to get a final placing just as she did at the last World Championships in Osaka, Japan.
Franca Idoko (sprint), Toyin Augusta (hurdles) and Christie Ekphukon (quartermile) all have slim chances of any meaningful outing in this indoor where a staggering total of 159 nations have entered athletes to compete for honours.
With four World Indoor records, subject to ratification, having already fallen this winter season, its clear that the 12th IAAF World Indoor Championships, will be one of the most keenly contested global competitions of recent years.
Ahead of Beijing 2008, the sporting world will also be keenly focused on the action and results in Valencia for indications of possible form and fitness as the same participants will also provide much of the cast list for the Olympic Games in China this coming August.
No comments:
Post a Comment