Nigerian-born Spanish athlete, Gloria Alozie, has praised the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) for the way it organised the Abuja Grand Prix which took place at the National stadium main bowl, Abuja, recently.
Alozie also noted that the tartan track used for the meet was second to none, as it measured with what obtains in Spain and other developed countries.
The athlete, who last competed for Nigeria at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games where she won a bronze medal said she felt honoured and excited running before the Nigerian crowd again, stating however, that she was emotionally wearing the colours.
Alozie revealed that she was always moved by the Nigeria National anthem whenever she competed against Nigerians. The former Olympic Games bronze medalist, who was beaten to the third position at the 100 metres women hurdle by Nigeria’s Toyin Augustus and Trinidad and Tobago’s Alesha Barber respectively, said: “though I don’t have any regrets because I know I wear it inside of me.”
On why she could not win the race, Alozie said she was just returning from injury, adding also that Toyin Augustus had always beaten her in the 100 metres hurdles in recent times because she had not been training.
Alozie also explained that she decided to come for the Abuja Grand Prix to show that she had not dumped Nigeria, stressing that she left the country due to circumstances beyond her control.