History will be made in Anambra today, as the state Governor Willie Obiano will commission the state’s first tartan track at Rojenny Stadium, Oba, Anambra State.
Since its creation from the old East Central State in 1991, Anambra, the state that gave Nigeria great athletes like Innocent Egbunike, the national record holder in 400m, world championships and Olympics medalist and Mary Onyali, also an Olympics medalist does not have tartan track.
Athletes from the state travelled to Delta, Enugu or Edo states to train, some even relocated to Lagos or Abuja.
But thanks to the effort and the foresight of Obiano, the ugly story has been consigned to the archives; Anambra athletes can now train at home. Yussuf Alli, AFN Golden Manager , Meet Manager , said a full house is expected at the meet as Anambrans are highly excited and can’t wait for the event to start.
Also the cream of home based athletes from all the nooks and crannies of Nigeria are trooping into Anambra to be part of the epoch occasion and also to win the prize money and points which could help them win the N1. 5 million jackpot at the end of the Golden League.
The Golden League and the Warri Relays and CAA Grand Prix are also to assist them prepare for the AFN/CRS All Nigeria Athletics Championships which will serve as trial for the Beijing 2015 IAAF World Championship and 2015b All Africa Games in Congo.
The top six male and female athletes that meet the standards set for any of the Golden League events will receive individual cash prizes as follows:1st – N40,000, 2nd – N30,000, 3rd – N20,000, 4th – N15,000, 5th – N10,000,6th – N5,000. For the top-3 relay teams that meet the standards set for the relay events will receive cash prizes as follows: 1st -N40,000, 2nd -N30,000, 3rd – N20,000.
Top-three male and female athletes that meet the standards set for the promotional events would receive cash prizes as follows: 1st – N25,000, 2nd – N20,000 and 3rd – N15,000.