By Maxwell Kumoye and Uzor Odigbo
Nigeria’s Long jump record holder and Olympian Yusuf Alli (8.27m) has charged Team Nigeria athletes to maintain a strong and positive mental strength as the Confederation of Africa Athletics (CAA), U-18/U-20 Championships begins in Abeokuta.
Alli who disclosed this during the AFN unveiling ceremony of Team Nigeria athletes and kits, noted that the athletes have to perform in CAA U-18 and U- 20 Championships to make their mark for the future.
“You are in this competition to make your mark and move forward with good results and not essentially to win,” the head of elite athletes in the National Sports Commission said.
Alli went on the explained that; “Winning will come, but first push yourself at this level to the next level, that’s how we all grew.”
The former Chairman of Edo State Sports Commission insisted that, the CAA U-18/U-20 Championships came at such a time when National Sports festival the United States Collegiate Athletics season just ended and this would assist Team Nigeria athletes to excel.
Meanwhile, Team Nigeria athletes and kits was unveiled in Abeokuta, Today, as a total of 92 athletes would be representing Nigeria in the CAA U-18 and U-20 Championships.
The AFN President Chief Tonobok Okowa in his brief address charged athletes to seize the opportunity the competition had provided to excel.
He reiterated that the Federation, National Sports Commission (NSC) and government have provided golden opportunity for them to succeed.
“I charge you to go out their and make Nigeria proud”
AFN board members at the unveiling include the Second Vice-President, Dr. Aku, Technical Director Gabriel Okon and NSC representative Yusuf Alli.
