AAG: Athletics Coach picks hole in AFN preparation

July 04 10:58 2019 by The Ajasa News Print This Article

By Martin Odiete

Just few weeks to the commencement of the All African Games, a top Nigeria Athletics coach, Gad Onumaegbu is not that happy with the level of preparation given to the Nigeria Athletes.

The Abuja based Coach also stated with such preparation it will be for Nigeria to beat the South Africans who are smoking fire right now on the track, and even dominate the Athletics event of the Games scheduled to hold in Morocco.

In a chart with www.theajasanews.com, Coach Gad wonders why Nigerians are not happy with the time the Athletes were returning during the last AFN National Athletics trials which took place at the Abuja National Stadium, arguing that Athletes can not return in good time when they did not have enough competition to participate.

“It is garbage in garbage out. You will recall that since this year they have not had a competition except the one they had two weeks ago in Lagos. If they have had enough competition they would have been returning in a very good time. You can imagine what is happening in the 400m, in 400m we use to record 45 seconds. There is no 45 here.

He however expressed some level of hope in getting the best out of the Athletes when they go into full camping.

“Lets hope that by the time one or two more competition we will get there. There are some prospects and i would not want to mention names let it not look like i am promoting some particular athlete, but there are some prospects. If we go into camping certainly they will do better.

“But i am also afraid that one month camping is not enough for a team preparing for a big Games like the All Africa Games. In the past we camp for three months for this king of Games, and with such long period in camp you will be able to condition the Athletes to attain their peak level before the Games. But you know things have changed and i do want us to carry our hopes so very high,” He said.

You may want recall that the Ibrahim Gusau led AFN has been crying to the roof top about the lack of support from the sports ministry, the reason they have not been able to organize more championships for the Athletes.

However, AFN is putting more of their hopes for medals at the All Africa Games on their foreign Athletes that did not participate at the last trials in Abuja.