Hopes High As Nigeria Athletes Attend Commonwealth Games

In 2008, Nigeria lost the hosting right of the 2014 Commonwealth Games to Scotland during a bid presentation held in the city of Colombo in Sri Lanka. The Nigerian delegation to Colombo was led by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan (then Vice President), with former Head of States, General Yakubu Gowon, as chairman of the Bid Committee. The team, which also had the likes of Chief Molade Okoya Thomas and former FIFA Executive Committee member, Amos Adamu, returned home with sad tales, pointing accusing fingers at the Commonwealth delegates for allegedly manipulating the bid process to suit Glasgow. GOWON AKPODONOR, who was part of the delegation to Colombo six years ago, captures the mood of Team Nigeria's athletes and their officials, as they jetted out during the week to prepare for medal battle with 70 other nations.

FROM the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, attention of sports lovers around the globe has shifted to the city of Glasgow, Scotland for the Commonwealth Games. It will hold from July 23 to August 3, with 71 countries doing battle in 17 sports. There are 261 events on the card.

Team Nigeria, which is presenting a total of 127 athletes in the Games, will feature in six sports namely: athletics (46), shooting (16), weightlifting (15), wrestling (14), boxing (11), table tennis (10), powerlifting (6) and para-athletics (9).

When President Jonathan received the Glasgow 2014 Queens' Baton Relay in Abuja, earlier this year, he stated that he was expecting a better performance at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games than the outings of 1994 and 2010, where 11 gold medals were won, respectively.

"We have won medals in all the Commonwealth Games we have participated in.

Our most memorable outing was the 1994 in Victoria Canada and 2010 in New Delhi, India, where we won eleven gold medals each," Jonathan said.

"This period, you will all agree with me, has been a glorious time in our sporting activities. Nigerians are, therefore, expecting a much better performance in Glasgow," he added.

Four years ago in Delhi, Team Nigeria finished ninth in the table with 11 gold, eight silver and 14 bronze medals. The athletes and their officials were full of assurances of a better outing, as they departed in batches earlier in the week to their various campsites in preparation for the Games.

One of the athletes, female long jumper, Ese Brume, knows the expectations back home.

Brume, who has ruled the long jump event in the local scene, is expected to team up with US-based Blessing Okagbare, when the battle for medals begins.

But before the athletics events, Brume has another huge task to perform in far away United States of America. She is listed in Nigeria's contingent to the IAAF World Junior Championships, which will take place in Eugene, Oregon, from July 22 to 27.

Last year, Brume captured two gold and a silver medal for Team Nigeria to win the African Junior Athletics Championship in Mauritius.

Now, the stake is higher and Brume is optimistic that the trip to Eugene, a place known as TRACK TOWN in USA, and Glasgow in Scotland, would be rewarding.

"I have trained well for the two competitions and I am sure of returning home with something good," Brume told newsmen last Thursday.

In Glasgow, all eyes will be on Africa's queen of the track, Okagbare. The athlete, who picked a bronze medal at Beijing 2008 Olympics, will compete four events- the women's 100m, 200m, 4x100m and the long jump.

Okagbare has a personal best time of 10.79 seconds in the 100m, 22.23 seconds in the 200m and 7.00m in the long jump. This makes her one of the favourites to rule Commonwealth Games, when events are concluded in August.

The AFN is also banking on triple jumper, Tosin Oke, for a gold medal. London-based Oke who is the reigning African champion with a personal best of 17.22 metres, won a gold medal for Team Nigeria four years ago in India. He is expected to defend the title in Glasgow.

The team listed by AFN for the Commonwealth Games is a combination of home-based athletes and foreign-based stars.

The Technical Director of AFN, Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama told The Guardian during the week that all the athletes have been tested for drugs. "We did a random picking of our athletes during a championship in Warri and the National Open in Calabar and I am happy to say that all of them are clean of drug related issues. We will continue to monitor them because we don't want any drug painted medal in Glasgow," Nesiama said.

Four years ago in New Delhi, Team Nigeria got three gold, three silver and seven bronze medals from wrestling events.

This time around, the Wrestling Federation President, Daniel Igali, says the athletes would put smile on faces of Nigerians.

There are skeptics who say that delay in release of funds to the various sporting federations might have negative impact on Team Nigeria's quest for a better outing in Glasgow.

But the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation led by Lagos Sports Commissioner, Enitan Oshodi remains optimistic of turning things around for good in Glasgow.

This year's Commonwealth Games may be the last major outing for former African champion and two-times Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Segun Toriola.

He is leading the ping-pongers to Glasgow full of hopes. Also in the team is the current African champion, Aruna Quadri, as well as old-timer, Edem Offiong. It may also be the last major outing for never-say-die female player, Funke Oshonaike.

Sports Minister, Timmy Danagogo is looking forward to use the Commonwealth Games to placate Nigerians for the not-too-impressive performance of the Super Eagles at the just concluded Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup.