Sports
Coach Bemoans Targets Setting For Athletes
The U.S-based athlet
ics coach, Patience Itanyi, has said that setting medal targets for athletes placed pressures on them and could hinder their performance.
Itanyi, a silver medallist in heptathlon at the 1999 All Africa Games in Johannesburg, appealed to the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to desist from setting medal targets for athletes for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
According to her, this can exert negative effect on the athletes’ performance because of the pressures it can exert on them.
The Commonwealth Games are scheduled to hold from July 23 to August 3.
Itanyi added that it was unfair for athletes to be pressurised into meeting certain targets because they need to enjoy what they are doing.
“When it comes to track and field, you cannot determine who wins what because it is until the processes are complete before a winner is determined.”
Itanyi said the AFN should also be aware that other countries participating in the Games also desired to win medals as well.