London 2012: ‘Team Nigeria Won’t Disappoint In Athletics’

President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Solomon Ogba,  has assured that Team Nigeria was in good shape to excel in the track and field events of the 2012 Olympic Games.

He told journalists covering the 30th Olympiad in London on Wednesday that the athletics team would do its best to bring smiles on faces of Nigerians during the Games.

Team Nigeria is yet to get onto the medals table at the Games as at the official day six of the 17-day Games on Wednesday afternoon.

Already, its four table tennis players have crashed out of their events in the competition, just as its lone competitor in the canoeing event has lost out.

Two of its three boxers at the Games have also been knocked out of the competition, while the men’s basketball team have won only one of their two games played so far.

‘’The athletics team at the Olympics here will do their best, though I am not promising anything. But all I know is that these athletes are in good condition, ‘’ Ogba said.

He said he was hoping that all the 29 track and field athletes would get to the semi-finals stage of their respective events.

‘’For me, I want all of them to get to the semi final, and I am sure that from there, anything can happen, ‘’ the former Delta Sports Commissioner said.

He said his federation had taken measures to ensure optimum concentration on the part of the athletes ahead of their competition today.

Ogba said he had imposed bans on frequent meetings with the athletes as well as barring visitors to the team, saying he informed the athletes of this at a meeting with them.

‘’I will not want people to distract the athletes by locking them up with meetings, and I have told them that there should be no meetings with my athletes, and that there should be no visitors, too.

‘’I want these athletes to concentrate and have peace of mind before their events start, ‘’ he said.

Ogba assured that the athletes have been in a good mood and training well, saying this was why he wanted them to remain focused and not be burdened with meetings.

“I don’t know what they are meeting about, but all have changed now and the athletes are presently in good condition to give Nigerians Olympic smiles, ” he said.

Kobi Okoye,  London