Athletics Nigeria restructures, appoints Egbunike as chief coach

Submitted by Yomi Omogbeja on February 1, 2012 - 16:33
AFN President Chief Solomon Ogba in Abuja 2008 / Photo: Yomi Omogbeja

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has appointed former African 400 metres champion Innocent Egbunike as its Chief Track and Field Coach. 

AFN President Chief Solomon Ogba announced the appointment in Abuja last week.

Under a new structure, AFN has divided Nigeria into six zones, with two coaches in charge of each zone, and Egbunike as the overall boss of the coaches, who included former national athletes Falilat Ogunkoya, Yusuf Alli and Uchenna Emedolu.

According to Ogba, the new structure is aimed at reviving athletics in the country, adding that the coaches had been charged with discovering talented athletes from all parts of the country. 
 
London 2012 team
 
Meanwhile, the Nigeria’s track and field contingent to London 2012 Olympics will be announced on June 25, three days after the national track and field trials

Chief Ogba said that the team’s final announcement will be the climax of a series of selection processes, beginning with the national classics set to be staged between February and June and culminating in the national trial later end of June.

The Olympic trials he said will not be an all-comers’ affairs as the federation has ruled that only those who can attain the qualification standards will be invited.

He also said Nigeria will participate in all the four relay events as well as the short sprints in both the male and female categories.

“Relay will give us 24 athletes, while we already have 19 athletes in individual event who have secured qualification for London 2012. If we continue at this rate, we will make 80 per cent of Nigeria’s qualification for the Games,” Ogba said..
 
See the full list of AFN Coaches below.
PDF icon New AFN National & Zonal Coaches and their designations
PDF icon 2012 AFN Calendar and Programmes - updated

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