No fewer than 30 Nigerian athletes have qualified for the Athletics event of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games scheduled to hold from August 5 to 21 in Brazil, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
The President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Solomon Ogba, told NAN on Friday in Lagos that 12 of the athletes were in the relay teams, while others qualified individually.
Ogba said: “We already have 30 athletes who have qualified.
“Twelve of them are for the relays, the 4x100m and 4x400m women.
“Eighteen qualified individually, but again we also have a programme where qualifying is not enough to make our Olympic team.”
On AFN Olympic standard, Ogba said the reason for surpassing the International Association of Athletics Federations set benchmark was to ensure Nigerian athletes got to the semi-finals at least.
IAAF’s standard is 10.16 secs for 100m, while AFN is 10.09 secs for the male.
For the women, IAAF standard is 11.32 secs, while AFN is 11.10 secs.
Ogba said: “The athletes cannot complain because everybody going to the Olympics will go with the basic standard.
“So, if you go with the basic standard, can you do well there?
“So, we have put AFN standard that we believe, if achieved, they will be able to get to at least the semi-finals.”
Ogba also expressed optimism that more athletes would qualify for the Olympics, adding that the qualifiers would end by July 11.
He said: “I believe that there are many who will make the team.
“These are just the ones for now because we have up to July 11 to get more athletes to qualify.”
Ogba added that the AFN was focusing on five areas for medals haul in Rio.
He said: “As a federation, we are focusing on five areas where we believe we can get medals.
“We also pray for luck.
“I will not disclose the areas.
“It is our secret.
“There are areas where people do not think we will do well, but they will be shocked.”
NAN.
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