The Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Long Distance Coach, Stephen Nuhu has revealed that he is going to use the IAAF 10km Okpkepe Road Race as a springboard towards preparations for the country’s participation in the 2015 All Africa Games(AAG) and 2016 Rio Olympics.
“We need support, people who will sponsor us in training even after Okpekpe because all African Games and particularly Olympic Games which is next year.
In a chat with NationSports, Nuhu believes that though they were faced with funds constraints but they hope to compete with the East Africans in Saturday’s race without fears. According to the Jos-based Coach, it was high time his team cart home the cash prizes at the annual IAAF Bronze Label Race which according him is not a birth-right of the East Africans.
He said: “We are always going for the prize money, Kenyans or no Kenyans, we are winning, we have good athletes that will compete with them. We have been training for six weeks, we have been asking for assistance but nobody has come to our help. We have trained for about six weeks.
It has been continuous; we get ourselves ready prepared for this event but our problem has always been feeding properly, we have not been able to camp properly because they come from their various homes and go back home after each day’s training. This is indeed wrong, we should have good food and good accommodation.
Amongst top long distance runners expected in Okpkepe are Emanuel Gyang, Deborah Pam, Joshua Asang, Zamani Stephen and two others. According to Coach Nuhu, the Nigerian athletes will rest today, while they are expected to have a light jog at night to loosen out.
It could be recalled that Coach Nuhu was expected to present eighteen athletes to participate in this year’s edition of the race and also vie for cash prizes ranging from $25,000(1st Prize Winner),$15,000(2nd Prize Winner) and $10,000 (3rd Prize Winner).