The 2021 Olympic trials for Team Nigeria which will serve as final selection for the team will hold from June 17-19th at the Sports Center of the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos.
The 3-day event is expected to witness stiff competitions in various track and field events.
What’s exciting about this particular National Trials is that all home and foreign-based athletes will converge for this competition.
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare had retirated the importance of attending the National Trials.
Speaking to some of Nigeria’s top athletes on Monday at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, the Minister described the National Trials as a significant event where the best of Nigerian athletes assemble to be selected for an international meet.
“Don’t forget that we would have National Trials in June and everybody, both home-based and foreign-based must show up for our Trials. If you don’t show up, you’ll not make Team Nigeria to the Olympics.
“National Trials are very important and any athlete that does not come will not make Team Nigeria, that is how important National Trials is. Is almost the second to the final point in which we select our final list of athletes and after that is the African championship in Algiers. So, the National Trials are very important even before I became the Minister and every athlete knows that,” Dare said.
So far, 10 Nigerians have hit the Olympic standard and they include;
Blessing Okagbare (100m/200m)
Divine Oduduru (100/200m)
Usheoritse Itsekiri (100m)
Raymond Ekevwo (100m)
Grace Nwokocha (100m/200m)
Favour Ofili (200m)
Tobi Amusan (100mh)
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (Shot Put)
Ruth Usoro (Long/Triple Jump)
Ese Brume (Long Jump)
Top Nigerian athletes expected to be in Nigeria in June includes Blessing Okagbare, Divine Oduduru, Chidi Okezie, Chioma Onyekwere, Tobi Amusan, Rilwan Alowonle, Ruth Usoro, Sade Olatoye, Haisha Bisiolu, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, Annette Echikunwoke and a host of other top US-based athletes.
According to a Strategic roadmap drawn by the Ministry, after the National Trials, the selected athletes will travel the next day to Algeria for the African Senior Championship which is billed to hold from June 22-26th.
The last time a good number of foreign based athletes turned up for the National Trials was in Sapele for the 2016 trials and the last time the Nationals was held in Lagos was in 2002.
Feature Photo Credit: Supashegs
