Athlete Laments Neglect Of Field Events

A 10th All Africa Games bronze medalist, Friday Osayande, has said that field events in Nigeria’s athletics were dwindling because the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN) paid less attention to them.

Osayande, who won a bronze medal in javelin event at the Games in Mozambique, lamented that the country’s focus was more on track events when it comes to athletics.

The athlete told newsmen on telephone in Lagos that provisions for field events were not made in most camps for athletes.

“The focus is on track events, especially the 100 metres and 400 metres races and this has adversely affected the development of field sports,” he said.

Osayande condemned the country’s attitude toward preparation for international tournaments.

“We are used to the fire brigade approach of doing things, which I experienced during our preparations for the All Africa Games, my first continental tournament.

“We started preparations a bit late though I’m grateful we were able to clinch some medals,” he said.

Osayande said that it would only take God’s grace for the track athletes to clinch a medal at the Olympics because we have not prepared adequately for it.

“You do not prepare hurriedly for such a tournament and expect to achieve the best, it is not done.”

He appealed to the government to ensure that the welfare of athletes was adequately taken care of before and after competitions to encourage them to ascend greater heights.

“It is not when we are preparing for a competition that sometimes funds are given to us and after the tournament we are abandoned until another competition,” he said.

The London 2012 Olympic athletics team are training in the U.K.