We’ll surpass Glasgow performance at Gold Coast Commonwealth Games – Official

Amechi Akawo, Secretary-General of Athletics Federation of Nigeria, on Friday in Abuja assured of the federation’s determination to ensure Nigeria surpassed its past achievements at the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
Akawo told the News Agency of Nigeria that the federation intended to utilise scheduled national and international events until April 1 in preparing its athletes for the games.
NAN reports that the 2018 Commonwealth Games will come up at Gold Coast in Australia from April 4 to April 15.
Nigeria’s athletics team had won six medals, made up of three gold and three silver, in the last edition of the competition in Glasgow.
This had helped Nigeria to emerge eighth overall, with 36 medals made up of 11 gold, 11 silver and 14 bronze.
He said: “All our national programmes coming up before the Games have been tailored towards ensuring that athletes do well in their events and surpass previous records.
“The season started in November with the All-Comers Meet, followed by the first leg of the Golden League in December, and they both served as a platform for selecting 40 athletes currently camping in Port Harcourt.
“The second leg of the league comes up in Port Harcourt on Saturday and Sunday, and will serve as a medium to evaluate what the athletes have done so far in camp.
“The World Indoor Championships of Birmingham from March 1 to March 4 is also important, as we will also be using that as part of our international build-up activities leading to the Commonwealth Games.”
On the chances of foreign-based athletes representing Nigeria at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the federation scribe said such athletes would also be considered.
He said: “We are also in touch with our foreign-based athletes, and in due time we will put another platform in place to do a final team selection in readiness for the Games.’’
Akawo said AFN was also optimistic that plans for athletes’ exposure by the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, would materialise.
He said: “This plan is to ensure that all the athletes are adequately exposed to good training and facilities ahead of the event.”
NAN reports that Sunday Adeleye, the AFN Technical Director, had said foreign-based athletes should be prepared for bigger challenges.
He said they need to prepare rigorously for tough challenges from their home-based counterparts who have been enjoying the benefits of good development programmes by the federation.