Moscow 2013: Team Nigeria Departs For Russia on Monday.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, Nigeria’s team for the World Championships will travel out on August 5 to Moscow, Russia for the event which runs from August 10-18.

Moscow 2013: IAAF World Championships.
Moscow 2013: IAAF World Championships.

The team will compete in mostly sprints and relays with Blessing Okagbare and Tosin Oke being the only athletes taking part in the field events. The 20 athletes who were selected at the Cross River/All Nigeria Championships in June are being expected in Lagos this weekend from their different abodes as plans by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria to run a camp ran into a hitch.

“We are only going to Russia to do our best. Our athletes have prepared on their own and I am sure we can get one or two medals,” said a member of the AFN.

Blessing Okagbare.
Blessing Okagbare.

Okagbare raised the hope of AFN officials last week when she ran a personal best of 10.79 seconds in the women’s 100m. If she can reproduce this performance, she could be on the medal’s podium in Russia. She is also expected to anchor the women’s 4x100m relay. Other notable athletes in the team are Ajoke Odumosu, Gloria Asumnu as well as Regina George who is seeking to establish herself in the world after winning the African championships last year in Benin Republic. Others include Ogho-Oghene Egwero, Noah Akwu and new comer Leoman Momoh who will run in the 800m men.

Source: Vanguard News.