Athletes Jostle For Athens Tickets
By Duro Ikhazuagbe
All is now set for the 2004 Mobil Track and Field Championship which kicks off today at the Abuja National Stadium.
Expectedly, most of the athletes who will compete for honours started arriving the country over the weekend. Even the nation's top athletes in camp in Germany returned to Lagos and Abuja in batches ahead of today's opening day of the Athens Olympic Trials. Expectations of picking the few available slots remain very high in the minds of the gladiators.
What perhaps could heighten the anxiety appears to be the unconfirmed reports that very few athletes would be considered for the Athens trip. The Sports Ministry and athletics' top chiefs remained resolved that only athletes with medals potentials would be listed. Even AFN boss, Dan Ngerem, who is aiming at leaving a winning legacy at the federation, is not party to having an all comers team that will not return to Lagos with the much sought after Olympic silverware.
Events that are going to draw the most attention at the three-day fiesta remain the sprints (men and women) and the quarter-mile. The 100 metres as well as the 200m will definitely produce some stunning races. What however may be lacking is the rivalry between the home-based and those coming from Europe and the United States.
The era when Olapade Adenekan, Francis Obikwelu, Davidson and Osmond Ezinwa dominated the sprints has been consigned to the past. Of course, we have Deji Aliu and Uchenna Emedolu competing for the top spot, most of the runners in the lower rung like Olu Fasuba, Aaron Egbele, Musa Deji and Tamuno Aturibido do not have the grit and character to do the unimaginable. May be, Chinedu Oriala and Finland-based Nnamdi Anusim could give the duo a push for their honours.
After a faltering start of the season, both Aliu and Uchenna Emedolu appear to be hitting top form. Only last Sunday, Aliu ran a blistering low 10 secs (10.07 secs) in the heat of the IAAF Super Grand prix in Athens, the host city of next month's Olympiad. He eventually won the 100m title, in 10.21 secs, leaving Ghana's Aziz Zakari and Lima Vicente (Brazil) to the second and third positions respectively. Aliu's time is lower than the 10.05 season's best of Uchenna Emedolu yet, the compact Aliu has beaten the former world champion in virtually all the races they both competed in since the All African Games here in Abuja.
Athletic aficionados who perhaps are expecting a repeat of Seun Ogunkoya's 1997 feat may have to tarry awhile. That year, Seun was in terrific form. it was little surprise that he demystified the strong field of Adenekan, Ezinwa and Obikwelu. That same Seun who is just trying to pick up the pieces of his track career will not be on the starters block to compete this weekend, as he has not hit the rhythm yet to run big time. Never the less, the 100m sprint remains the big hit in the 2004 Mobil Trials. The 200m could go same way except Emedolu fail to be at his best.
In the female 100m, the battle remains a three-pronged one. Mercy Nku, recently pardoned by the Sports Ministry for her role in the 2003 World Championship in Paris, however, remains the hot favourite for the Mobil title. The trio have taken their turns to win the title with Mary Onyali-Omagbemi and Endurance Ojokolo with the most wins. On current form, Nku remains the woman to beat. However, Onyali never says die until the deed is done. Since coming back to the track after her bay, Onyali has proved that any sprinter who ignores her is doing so at a greater risk. For almost two decades on the track, this United States-based sprinter knows that the best way to cap her career is to leave a lasting memory. Will Victor Omagbemi's wife upset form book and add the 2004 Mobil 100m title to her chest of trophies? Only matters of hours stand between Onyali and that dream.
Of course, the likes of Uduak Ekah, Eman Edem, Rose Aboaja and Benedict Ajiduah are waiting for the big guns to slip for them to be the beneficiaries.
Both the men and women's 400m will produce nostalgic feelings. There is hardly any of the top contenders in the men category who can re-enact the rivalry of Sunday Bada, Clement Chukwu and Jude Monye were great quarter-milers who put fans on seat edges. Aniefiok Udo-Obong capped that era with a life or death run in the 4x400m of the Sydney Games to give Nigeria the silver. Even the silver may eventually become gold if IOC decide that Jerome Young (USA) was indeed ineligible to compete at the Sydney Olympic. So, the new blood that may want to carry on the quarter-mile include Ibadan Zonal Champion Eriete Odumasiachi, Fidelis Gadzama and Musa Audu. This Mobil Trial is the first real test to prove if Sunday Bada can remain happy that there are indeed worthy successors.
Talking about the woman version is more of a nightmare. Falilat Ogunkoya-Osheku left with the magic and splendour. None of the present quarter-milers is capable of a 49 high or 50 low. Yet, fans will see a stiff rivalry between Doris Jacob, Rosemary Okafor and Ngozi Nwosu. It is almost the same story in the women 100m hurdles. Silver medallist at the last Olympic Glory Alozie is now a Spaniard. Angela Atede may have little or no opposition for the Mobil title but whether AFN will consider her for the Athens party is a different ball game as she has not been able to enter medals zone in virtually all her races this season.
However, sponsors of the trials, Mobil are determined to give the fiesta a touch of a mini olympiad.
Secretary of the AFN, Dr Simon Ebhojiaye told THISDAY Sports that the standard of the trials will be worth staking one's time to behold.
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