The Athletics Federation of Nigeria has condoled with the family of Kazeem Adeyemi, a men’s 20km Race Walk National Champion, who died on Tuesday after he slumped while jogging.
AFN President, Ibrahim Gusau, in a statement issued by the association’s Director-General, Young Pepple, on Sunday described Adeyemi as a national sports asset.
The statement said: “The death of Adeyemi is sad, especially at this time when the federation is putting plans in place to encourage our good athletes to take to coaching in order to boost coaching in all events.
“To lose such a dedicated and hardworking athlete, who showed great consistency, is a very great loss to the federation in particular and the nation in general.”
Gusau prayed Allah to grant the departed soul eternal rest and his family the fortitude to bear the loss.
Adeyemi, till his death, represented the Nigeria Police Force, where he served for 11 years and was a Sergeant at the Ikoyi Division in Lagos State.
Born on March 1, 1985, he recorded the following Personal Bests: 10,000m Race Walk (43:30:43) Nsukka, Nigeria, 2012; 10km Race Walk (48:37) Onitsha, Nigeria 2015; 20,000m Race Walk (1:35:15.76) Calabar, Nigeria, 2017; and 20km Race Walk (1:34:05) Abuja, Nigeria 2014.
In addition, Adeyemi won a number of National Championships, including the 20,000m and the 20km Race Walk in Calabar in 2011; 20km Race Walk in Lagos, 2007; 20km Race Walk in Warri, 2015; as well as 20km Race Walk in Kaduna in 2019.
He represented Nigeria in the 20km Race Walk at the 2003 All-African Games in Abuja, where he placed fifth.
Adeyemi was buried according to Islamic rites on Wednesday at the Agege Cemetery, Lagos State.
He was survived by a wife and three children.
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