₦airaland Forum

Dreal1247: He that is delhiemu in his work will always stand before kings and princes.

Don't mean diligent? What does delhiemu mean?

http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/24/blessing-okagbare-exclusive-part-iii-on-the-olympic-treble-on-reviving-nigerian-athletics/

BLESSING OKAGBARE, recently crowned Commonwealth 100m & 200m Champion and African 100m Champion & Record Holder, speaks EXCLUSIVELY to MAKING OF CHAMPIONS on her career, personal life and on Nigerian Athletics! In this FINAL part of the 3-part interview series recorded in Morocco during the African Championships, she speaks on the possibility of attempting an Olympic treble, and shares her thoughts on what it would take to revive Athletics in Nigeria!

So is the Long Jump still your favourite event?

Yes, it is!

What are the chances that you will combine all 3 events – the 100m, 200m and Long Jump at the next World Champs and Olympics?

I will say 70/30 because the schedule is always off, and the long jump exerts more strength on your body, that’s the truth. I worked really really hard but there is something about this whole body. Your mental state can be fine but when the body has shut down, it has shut down. There is nothing you can do than give it the rest that it deserves. I don’t know if the schedule is going to permit me to attempt the triple that I did last year but I would really want to do it, trust me.

Do you think there is a case for you asking them to make the schedule work in your favour? They did it for Michael Johnson and Carl Lewis in the 90s…

They did, so we’ll see how it goes. It’s all politics! (she laughs)

How do you feel about Nigerian athletics today? There was a time we used to win a lot of medals on the global stage but now it seems like you are our only individual Olympic medal hope. Do you feel the weight of the whole nation on your shoulders?

No, I used to but like I said I put my priorities straight. If the people who are out there can’t do much to support the sport, this is my career. I have so much passion for what I do, I love Track & Field. I want to enjoy every moment of it. At the same time this is where I earn my living and take care of my family and I have to take care of it. I can’t wait for them; I can’t sit down and expect them to want to do something for me, so that is the difference between the people that are succeeding and those that are not. So if you keep waiting for these people, trust me you are going to be way behind.

Do you think that Track & Field in Nigeria can be revived to rival the likes of USA and Jamaica on the world stage?

No, I don’t think so. I’m not cursing them but it’s going to be really hard, it’s going to be extremely hard. Right now they are doing a lot of recruiting versus building on what they have – it doesn’t make any sense to me, you know, it doesn’t.

So how can we make that revolution in Track & Field happen?

I don’t know, a lot of things have been said in the past but it doesn’t look like they are going to change. They will keeping making the same mistakes and the government will keep changing and new people come. Some people who have no clue about sports will sit there as ministers and so on. First of all you need to find someone who has passion for this game, that knows the sport, that knows what it means to break a world record. Some people don’t even know what a world record or African championship record means. You need people who are educated about the sport. That is the way you can get athletes to do the best. Athletes that you are supposed to pay training grants in November, you then give them in April when it’s no longer relevant. They will just use it for shopping. You can’t give me that kind of money now, I will just go to the mall! They are always doing things at the last minute. That is one of the things they need to change because it is not taking us anywhere. It is just slowing us down.

Making Of Champions is working on a plan to start Professional Track Clubs in Nigeria and train athletes to go to the Olympics, giving them access to world class training in Nigeria. Do you think it’s something that could work in Nigeria?

It might be a 50-50 thing. I don’t know how successful it will be.

It worked in Jamaica…..

It depends on the people running this whole thing. If it’s going to work for them, good luck. I would just wish them good luck.

How would you like to give back to Nigeria, and play a role in reviving the sport across the nation?

I’m trying to set up my foundation. I’m still working on that but I have to make sure that I have people that I can actually trust because I don’t really stay in Nigeria, so I need people that I can trust to stand there when you need them. I still have so much going on but I want to give back to my community, my country and fans. I’m setting up my foundation to help young kids coming up in any way I can – probably put them through school, maybe up to college. It will be a great thing so I’m looking forward to that.

So if Making of Champions is able to start this programme to give home-based athletes training right in Nigeria, would you like to support that programme?

It depends! I can’t just put my money into something I have no guarantees will work…

No money involved oh, it’s just for you to mentor the kids…

Okay, yeah, whichever way I can support, of course I will!

Thank you so much for taking the time to speak exclusively to MAKING OF CHAMPIONS – we wish you all the best for the future!

Thank you!



If you missed Part I, on Blessing’s CAREER and her chase for more MEDALS and RECORDS, check it out here >>> http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/18/blessing-okagbare-exclusive-part-i-on-her-career-on-chasing-more-medals-records/

Or Part II, on her MARRIAGE, KIDS, and on finding her voice on Social Media, click here >>> http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/21/blessing-okagbare-exclusive-part-ii-on-marriage-kids-finding-her-voice-on-social-media/

CFCfan: @ bambostic: Have you heard of Courtney Okolo. I learned she ran the 2nd fastest time of the year in the 400m, in 50.03 seconds. She is runs for the University of Texas, Austin

Yes, I've heard of her. There are some pretty fantastic Nigerian origin juniors in USA T&F right now (Akinosun in the 100m, Ekpone in 200m) but at this time they are almost all unlikely to run for Nigeria, because we don't have a very professional set-up (that is an understatement)...I understand that the likes of Okolo and Akinosun have been approached to run for Nigeria, but they have not committed one way (Naija) or the other (USA)...

To be honest, they way the AFN is recruiting Americans with no shred of real link to Nigeria should make them very wary about agreeing to run for Nigeria at this point in time...

caseless: Dis interviewer follows her 'bumper to bumper' on facebook; so many quotes frm her wall.

lol, yes oh! Though it's not that hard to go and look at her wall and just compile the best quotes!

http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/21/blessing-okagbare-exclusive-part-ii-on-marriage-kids-finding-her-voice-on-social-media/

BLESSING OKAGBARE, recently crowned Commonwealth 100m & 200m Champion and African 100m Champion & Record Holder, speaks EXCLUSIVELY to MAKING OF CHAMPIONS on her career, personal life and on Nigerian Athletics! In this second part of the 3-part interview series recorded in Morocco during the African Championships, she speaks on her upcoming marriage, on having kids, and on finding her voice on Social Media!

Now, you're engaged to be married. So first of all congratulations!

Thank you!!

Do you have a wedding date yet, and will you be planning to start a family soon? How do you plan to weigh that up with your career aspirations?

Actually it’s sometime in November and I’m looking forward to it. But I just want to get the wedding over with. I mean when I get married I become Mrs someone, I would have a husband but then talking about a family and kids is not really in the schedule for right now. I already have so much planned out for the near future and I really want to achieve that. That’s why I just believe that when I can do this and put this in place, then the rest will follow.

So maybe kids after the next Olympics…?

Well we’ll see about that.

Your fiancé is an ex-Super Eagles player, Igho Otegheri. Have you discussed whether your children will be footballers or sprinters?

(She laughs) Oh we always argue about that. He would be like ‘he would play soccer’ and I would be like ‘Play what? My son is not playing soccer. He can play basketball. I wouldn’t want the girl to be in Track but the thing is when they are blessed with the talent, there’s not much we can do but support them. I would really want to support my kids but I don’t want any of them to be in Track & Field.

With the two of you it seems you’re going to have some pretty talented kids….

They can just do other sports – a sport that can make them some money though!

You've started using social media quite effectively to make your voice heard. We've got some quotes here that you've made on Facebook, and we just wanted to ask exactly what each of them mean to you! The first one is ‘Do not mock a pain that you haven't endured’.

It goes to people that just sit down and criticize. It’s a like the team goes for a competition and, they don’t know what I went through at the Olympics, and they say, ‘She just went there and failed’. The thing is, do you think I actually went there to fail? You don’t know what it feels like. It took me four months to get over London 2012, just to get over the whole mental setback before putting myself together. The thing is before you actually sit down to criticize someone, put yourself in the shoes of that person and see what it feels like, before jumping to conclusions.

The second one is interesting. ‘It is in the house of a coward that people gather and point to the tomb of yesterday's warrior.’

(Laughter) I had people say so much about that. Yes the thing is some people say something right now, and they go back and change it, and they bring people together and talk about the same thing while they are not really going to do it. ‘You know I really want to be somebody, I want to do this, I want to do that’ and then they go back and change it; they don’t fulfill the things they said they were going to do. Or they just brag about something so hard but behind closed doors they do the opposite. But they bring people together and say all this stuff like….I call them cowards.

The next one is ‘When someone says you've changed, it simply means you've stopped living your life their way.’

Of course! Of course!! If I make you too happy that means I’ve been doing a lot of things that you love but the thing is you have to accept me for who I am. We might be friends but sometimes I tell people that there is so much that goes beyond friendship. Some people might go ‘You’ve changed; you’ve stopped hanging out with us’. It’s just priority based; it’s not like I changed.

So on that note, how have you changed over the years and do you have to change to become a champion sprinter and win medals?

I’ve not really changed; I’ve just become more me and that’s Blessing Okagbare and there are certain things I can’t do. Like when I have a competition, you don’t expect me to be at the lobby trying to sit down and chit chat with people. I have to go to bed a certain time, I have to eat at a certain time. I remember how many times my coach made me go to bed in Glasgow and I couldn’t eat because it was too late, we came back from the track late. I go to bed starving and it is not fun. It is discipline. The thing is I get extremely disciplined. Like I was telling one of my friends that just graduated that when you are done with school, they start paying you a cheque. You get to another stage of your life where you just don’t say things or do things like ‘I don’t know if I want to do this thing, I’m not sure’, no you have to want it, that’s just it. I didn’t change, I just became more me, like I had to start putting more things on the priority list. The things I want right now, like I want this award, like Commonwealth GOLD medal, I’m not going for second place. This is what I want, so what is it going to take me coach? And then he says ‘This is what you have to do, you have to do this or do that’.

So the final quote from your wall is Biblical. It says ‘For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay.’ (Habakkuk 2:3)

Patience! It’s all about patience. Every day of my life has been a blessing, that’s what I see. I’ve been through a lot and sometimes I just feel like ‘God, you just forgot about me’ but each time I read the scriptures, there is so much I see that I’ve not even read in the Bible, that there is something called patience and you just have to be patient. When things start falling in place you will be so amazed at how wonderful it will be!

Tune in on Sunday evening for the third and final part of this Exclusive Interview with Blessing Okagbare, where she speaks on attempting the Olympic TREBLE, and she shares her thoughts on reviving Nigerian Athletics – stay tuned!

If you missed Part I, on Blessing's CAREER and her chase for more MEDALS and RECORDS, check it out here >>> http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/18/blessing-okagbare-exclusive-part-i-on-her-career-on-chasing-more-medals-records/

Abatemtem: Thanks 4 making us proud of who we are,Nigerians!

Yes oh! She's making us extremely proud!

http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/18/blessing-okagbare-exclusive-part-i-on-her-career-on-chasing-more-medals-records/

BLESSING OKAGBARE, recently crowned Commonwealth 100m & 200m Champion and African 100m Champion & Record Holder, speaks EXCLUSIVELY to MAKING OF CHAMPIONS on her career, personal life and on Nigerian Athletics! In this first part of this 3-part interview series recorded in Morocco during the African Championships, she speaks on her career to date and on chasing even more medals and records!

You started off as a Long & Triple Jumper – how and when did you get your big break in your career?

Well I would say it started from my moving to the States. That was when it really started happening because I would say that was one of the best and greatest decisions I have made in my life, because if I had been in Nigeria, honestly I don’t know where I would have been right now. It actually started in 2008 at 19 when I won a bronze medal in Beijing. Then I didn’t know what it was but as the years progressed I got more education as regards to Track & Field and I figured that I had much more talent than what I was seeing so I just took it up from there.

So would you say your bronze medal kind of helped your move to the US, and getting a scholarship?

No I actually got the bronze medal after I arrived the States. That was my first year in college then.

When did you start sprinting, and when did you know that you had the potential to become a champion sprinter?

Usually we do a lot of running when we are jumping and my coach was like ‘You have a lot of speed to put on the track’ and I was like no at first. So it was actually in 2009 when he said ‘We are going to this meet and you are going to jump and do the sprints’ and I was like ‘Why?’ He said, ‘I just want you to sprint, take a break from jumping’. I was like ‘Okay, that’s fine, I’m up for it’ so I actually did and surprised myself with 11.22s, so that was it! That was how it started. Not every sprinter would just run 11.22s on their first race so for a jumper to do that, it means you’ve got the talent so I stuck to it.

What is the greatest moment in your career so far?

I would actually say the Commonwealth Games right now. It’s really new and fresh though but I think it was one of the competitions I really prepared for and everything was just in place. I was so relaxed but extremely focused, and executed much better than I have ever done in my career and it paid off.

What about when you broke the 100m African Record?

I was so happy when I won that race, just because of how fast I ran. I wasn’t worried about the African record. I was just really happy because I wasn’t expecting the race to be that fast. I was like ‘What!’ people were like ‘You’re way better than that, you just don’t know it.’

Which medal that you’ve won means the most to you?

I will say the World Championships.

Which of the two – the Silver in the Long Jump or Bronze in the 200m?

The Bronze in the 200m

Why that one in particular?

Because there is more competition in that one versus the Long Jump. It’s the biggest stage.

You’ve come a long way since the 1st Bronze in Beijing, and it took you 5 more years to get another global medal – the two medals at the World Championships. What would you say to Nigerians whom always expect instant success, and to those that wrote you off after London 2012?

Well I won’t blame them. I’m not criticizing them it’s just that we have less education when it comes to sports, and Track & Field and how it goes. I really want them to look more into this whole aspect of sports. I also want them to know that there is no magic in sports, as much as we the athletes want to go there and win, but there is always somebody who is working harder than you are, and more is being invested in that person than in you. It’s not like you don’t have the talent, you do have the talent but there is so much that makes an individual a champ. It starts from the way you eat or sleep, the people you surround yourself with, the people that educate you, the people that sponsor you, the people that tell you that you can do it, versus Nigerians, the majority of whom just criticize. They don’t have any education regarding what athletes go through. It got a little bit to me after 2012; a lot of people wrote me off but the thing is I believe God has blessed me so much more than what people just see for me to give up my career so easily. I knew that I had just started so I just kept my faith.

What are your hopes and dreams for the rest of your career?

Actually I want to do way better than I have done right now, like extremely better. I’m talking about attempting world records and putting myself in the gold medal position and I actually want to be one of the best sprinters to end up being in track and field…Sprinter slash Jumper! (she laughs).

On that note how much lower do you think you can take the 100m African Record?

I’m actually looking at a 10.5; 10.58. That’s what I’m going to work towards, which is not going to be easy.

It sounds like 9.58, like Usain Bolt?

Well, this is Blessing Okagbare. Like I said at the Commonwealth Games I’m going to work twice as hard as I have ever worked. Even a 10.7 is not an easy race I’m telling you, but that is actually my goal. I’m looking at a 10.5 in future because I’m still young and getting to my peak. Usually the peak should be between 27 and 28 and I’m 25 right now so as long as I stay healthy, I am looking at 10.5, 21.6 in the 200m, and 7.50 in the long jump. I’ve not been training for the jumps but anytime I go out there I still jump 7m so I have the talent to jump over that.

Well you’ve already answered our next question because for a long time a lot of people, including ourselves, have seen the 200m as possibly your best event. How soon do you see yourself breaking Mary Onyali’s African Record of 22.07s? When do you think you can go under 22?

I’m actually looking at it this year, with good conditions. I was trying to attempt it in Glasgow but the way they had that schedule (the semis and final on the same evening) was completely off for me. First of all the weather was horrible; it was too cold and damp so I didn’t want to push it. The semi-final was very easy for me so I was like ‘let me do it’ but after that, with the rain and everything, my coach said ‘don’t push it’. And you want to listen to the person that coaches you because they have been there before. They know the pros and cons of everything you do, so he said ‘don’t push it, just go there and win’ and that was what we did. I’m still trying to recover from the Commonwealth Games. I have still Brussels (Diamond League) so I’m hoping to run faster there. Hopefully I can attempt the 200.

Tune in later this week for the Part II of this Exclusive Interview with Blessing Okagbare, where she speaks on her upcoming wedding, on having kids, and on finding her voice on Social Media – stay tuned!

http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/17/hua-wilfried-koffi-is-standout-athlete-of-african-champs-14-after-grabbing-sprint-double-with-two-national-records/

He was not even considered to be a major contender for gold at the 2014 African Senior Championships but Cote d’Ivoire’s Hua Wilfried Koffi has turned out to be the star athlete of the tournament as he raced to the sprint double with National Records (NR) in both the 100m & 200m!

He has also etched his name in the annals of history as the third man to achieve this feat, after Nigeria’s Victor Omagbemi set the pace at the 1992 Championships, while Former World and Commonwealth Champion over 200m, Frankie Fredericks of Namibia did same a decade later in Tunisia.

The 26-year old was not even listed among the continent’s Top 10 in the 100m prior to the championships as he came to Marrakech with a Season’s Best (SB) of 10.21s. South Africa’s Simon Magakwe and Akani Simbine as well as Nigeria’s Mark Jelks were considered top contenders for the highly coveted title, but it was the Ivorian who stormed to the title on Day 2 of the competition with a Personal Best (PB) and National Record of 10.05s ahead of the Nigerian pair of Jelks and Monzavous Edwards. It is also the fourth fastest time recorded by an African this season. Ogho-Oghene Egwero finished fifth in the race.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A29m2M5zaSU

Koffi admitted that he felt a bit scared going against Nigeria in the 100m as the country is reputed to have the best sprinters on the continent.

He said, “When I woke up this morning I said God please help me to win this race and my coach sent me a message that I was going to break my record. He said ‘just think that you are alone in the race’, and I did. There were three Nigerians in the final, and Nigerians are known for their prowess in the sprints so when you go against them you feel a little bit afraid. But I asked God to help me and my dream materialized.”

Not done with winning the ultimate prize and setting records, Koffi, who was rated Africa’s No.5 over 200m with a time of 20.45s stunned the continent’s fastest man over the distance, Isaac Makwala, in the finals as he set another PB and NR of 20.25s, while the Batswana followed in 20.51s. Prior to the championships, Lesotho’s Mosito Lehata (20.36s), and the South African pair of Akani Simbine (20.37s) and Titi Ncicihli (20.41s) had faster times but eventually succumbed to the Ivorian’s superior strides.

Koffi is no stranger to the African Championships though, as he is making his third appearance in the biannual competition. He won bronze over the 100m at the 2012 championships in Benin and added another bronze medal at the 2013 Universaide where he competed for Shanghai University. However his recent feat is surprising for an athlete who is not yet sure of how far he intends to pursue a career in athletics, as he gets set to commence a doctorate programme in China.

“I train in China”, he told MoC. “When I told someone about it, they were surprised. It’s really not easy in China because we do not have many competitors there. I train alone and my coach is based in Germany so I receive my training programme via text messages or email but God just helps me to train every day. I don’t know for how long I will continue to train there because I am about to start a PHD programme in September. I don’t know if I will leave the track or if I will continue.”

Qualifying for the Continental Cup is a big deal for Koffi who says his goal is to do a sub-10 at the championships:

“The next step is to prepare for the continental Cup. My expectations are high because it is a dream come true for me; it’s a big deal. My aim is to break the 10s barrier and run as fast as Nigeria’s Olusoji Fasuba who ran 9.85s.”

If Koffi Hua was the standout athlete of the tournament, and honourable mention must go to Isaac Makwala, who became the African 400m Record Holder this season, and was also the fastest on the continent over the 200m this season (both times were set on the same day). At these championships, Makwala won the 400m, finished 2nd a couple of days later in the 200m, and then returned a couple of hours later to lead Botswana to a stunning GOLD in the 4x400m over Nigeria in a new National Record!

safarigirl: Cute guys

lol...

http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/16/tyron-akins-nigerian-and-african-110m-hurdles-champion-ready-to-give-his-all-for-his-new-country/

Nigeria won an unprecedented 1-2-3 in the 100m Hurdles at the African Championships this week, and MAKING OF CHAMPIONS exclusively caught up with the three medallists, Tyron Akins, Alex Al-Ameen and Martins Ogieriakhi, trackside immediately after the race.

In recent weeks, we have spoken much about the controversy surrounding the Americans who recently switched to compete for Team Nigeria. Though Akins was initially reluctant to speak to us again following what we’ve written about them on these pages, he decided to use it as an opportunity to air his grievances on our coverage of their stories, and to let ALL Nigerians know what it means to him to have been given the opportunity to run for Nigeria! See the full interview transcript below:

Akins: When I read what you guys had written, I was so taken aback because when I did the interview with you it was all out of love. I was like mehn I’m happy; this is my first time of being here; like this is unbelievable and then I read the thing and it came off as so negative, like these guys are just coming in and there is controversy and all that. The Nigerian people have done nothing but openly welcome us, so it hurt me to read it, honestly.

MoC: We appreciate this and we’re glad you can talk about this and we respect that. There are a lot of people hurting in Nigeria as well because they feel like they are losing their opportunities to develop because you guys are coming in to take their spots, and they don’t seem to be getting even nearly the same support as you guys are. We appreciate that you’re still willing to speak up on this issue, because you will need your voice to be heard in Nigeria, otherwise you may have an uphill battle in winning over the masses…

Akins: Absolutely! I know that and I don’t have a problem with that because I’m dedicated to Nigeria – that is why I have this shirt on. There are people who are missing out on opportunities but the thing about athletics is this – what this does is that the people who are missing out on opportunities have to go back and re-evaluate and say hey, there is something I’ve got to change. This guy here (Martins Ogierakhi), when I came in he could have said we have Ty here and all that, but he stepped up to the occasion. This guy ran a PB (Personal Best) two weeks back to back. He beat me in Warri, you see what I’m saying? He stepped up to the occasion and its paying off. We are together on the podium now. I just want you to know that I love Nigeria.

Al-Ameen: I know that there is a lot of controversy and in my situation, people say they don’t know my background and stuff. The reason why I switched was not because I couldn’t make the team in England; it’s because I’m Nigerian, my father is Nigerian, and I would want to represent Nigeria. This year I ran a PB coming into these championships. It wasn’t so last year so I’m grateful to be running with these guys. We are the best in Nigeria at the moment; it’s a good day for Nigeria.

Akins: Like I said, even Martins (Ogieriakhi) has run his PB this year, because we’re all pushing each other. You see what I’m saying? We swept the hurdles in the African Champs. I’m giving my all to Nigeria. As a matter of fact, me and my coach are trying to do something where I can come to Lagos and Warri and talk to some of the kids about maybe coming to school in the US, so when you wrote the negative stuff it really hurt me because it was borderline disrespectful – I would never take advantage of a place or come to Nigeria because it is an easier way or something like that. Every time you step on the track it’s gonna be hard. Competition everywhere. Anybody could have won that race today so I never take track and field for granted.

MoC: So let’s get to the race. Congratulations! It was a clean sweep for Nigeria in the 110m hurdles. Tyron you won that race with 13.57s. Talk us through the race, how did you feel?

Akins: Well I feel good because our goal when we were coming here was 1-2-3. We never said Tyron you win, and this guy second or any of that. It was strictly 1-2-3. We were going to push each other like we always do. I knew I had a pretty good start so those guys know I was going to get out of the blocks, so once I get out, you come with me and we gonna be good to go. I know that these guys are going to come towards the end. Martins is a strong competitor so he’s going to be there all through the race. Our goal was accomplished, it was 1-2-3. It could have gone either way; he could have won, we could have run 14s as long as Nigeria won the medals, that was what we were worried about but the focus was 1-2-3.

MoC: Do you feel like this makes up for just missing out on the finals at the Commonwealth games?

Akins: Missing out on the finals in the Commonwealth Games was because I didn’t have any races. My last before the Commonwealth Games was trials, so I went a whole month without races, so I wasn’t really sharp. It hurt me dearly because I want to really represent the country to the best of my ability and I couldn’t do it because I wasn’t in the finals, but this is a sort of redemption so I’m pleased with it.

MoC: Alex, let’s come to you very quickly, you were in the final at the Commonwealth Games, and 2nd here, which is your first silverware for Team Nigeria, a Silver medal in Africa. How does it feel?

Al-Ameen: Well it feels good and I would say it was great that we did a 1-2-3. I was coming here to win but I’m happy that my teammate got it. I did make the final at the Commonwealth Games and it was a great achievement of mine because I put it down as one of my goals for the year, and to get silverware as well. I didn’t do as well as I could have in the final today, but I am so happy that I can win a Silver medal for Nigeria and myself.

MoC: Martins I’m going to come to you very quickly. You were the National Sports Festival champion in 2012, and won the title twice before that as well?

Ogieriakhi: I have won it three times back to back: 2009, 2011 and 2012.

MoC: Wow! So is this your first medal for Nigeria at a global competition?

Ogieriakhi: Yeah, this is my first medal and I am very happy. I was going for the first position. Seeing Tyron by my side, I had to push forward and I had to tell myself ‘I won’t let him go, I won’t let him go!’ Both of them pushed me to place 3rd in this very race, so I am very happy.

MoC: Where do you go to from here now? More medals for Nigeria?

Ogieriakhi: Yeah! We said it yesterday that we were going to place first, second, third here, so hopefully we can do more.

MoC: Tyron, we’re going to end with you. We know that the Nigerian press including ourselves have given you guys a lot of heat since you switched to Nigeria. Can you tell us what this medal means to you?

Akins: It means so much because I expect to get the heat; you’re doing your job and I respect that but at the same time I just want to let you know that this is not just something that I take for granted. I’m very very serious about this. This is something that is very dear to my heart so. Like I said when I read what you had written I was so shocked because when I did the interview I didn’t get that vibe at all, but to get this medal and not only that, to get this 1-2-3 sweep for Nigeria is so overwhelming; it’s hard to put it in words. I think we were so close in the medal count and this medal just put us over, I’m not sure.

MoC: Thank you for still taking the time to talk to us. We appreciate it.

Akins: You’re just doing your job man. I just want you to know that I’m very serious about this.

.

http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/15/american-lindsay-lindley-becomes-lindsay-weyinme-after-getting-nigerian-passport-through-uncle-who-married-in/

Hey, would you like a passport in 24 hours to compete for Nigeria? Apparently we’re giving them out to anyone who’ll accept the offer…

The African Championships rounded up on Thursday night, and the big surprise for Nigeria fans during the week-long competition was the sudden appearance of new girl Lindsay Weyinme in Green-White-Green of Team Naija. We caught up with her after the 100m Hurdles final where she finished 4th, and this is what she had to say about how she was recruited to Team Nigeria (captured on camera by AthleticsAfrica):


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHIJ1rWqxJQ

Following the National Trials in Calabar, where we extensively covered the appearance of the newly recruited Americans to Team Nigeria, we asked the most pertinent question that arose – whether they should even have received Green Passport in the first place, given that Nigeria citizenship law clearly states that one must have at least ONE Nigerian parent to naturalise, if you were not born in Nigeria. Never in the history of Nigeria has any foreigner EVER received the passport because their great-grandparent or great-great grandparent was Nigerian, as some of them have claimed is their link to Nigeria.

All of this makes Weyinme’s claim as to how she got the Nigerian Passport even more startling. Is there any country in the whole world where you can become a citizen because your UNCLE MARRIED someone from that country? Not you, but your uncle? It’s such brazen disregard for Nigerian Law that one can only assume this young lady and her ‘Naijamerican’ colleagues have been rather misinformed and ill-advised in this whole situation.

Let’s not even get into the fact that she did not even attend the Nigerian Trials so her selection on the team is a big surprise, to say the least. This is the same situation with Robert Simmons, who also did not attend the trials, and has done little to justify his inclusion on the team, after not finishing his 400m race at the Commonwealth Games, and false starting earlier this week at these African Championships. The integrity of our whole selection process is at stake here.

It did not take long for more news on Wenyime’s background to emerge in online fan forums in Nigeria. It turns out that her real name is Lindsay Lindley, and it is likely that she was given the name Weyinme during the process of naturalising. Interestingly, the other Americans recruited to Team Nigeria have been given Delta middle names, such as Mark ‘Amuju’ Jelks, Monzavous ‘Jolomi’ Edwards, Tyron ‘Toritseju’ Akins, and so on.

They are all set to represent Delta State at the upcoming National Sports Festival, which just happens to be the first National Sports Festival that is open to foreign-based Nigerians, a classification which they now fall under. Which begs the question – is their recruitment really about making Team Nigeria better, or is it about Delta State winning the National Sports Festival? What becomes of them after the Festival? Only time will tell.

One thing is certain – it is very IMPORTANT that Nigerians do NOT direct any ill-feelings towards these athletes, who are merely embracing an opportunity that has been accorded them to advance their careers as Nigerians. What’s done is done, so they should be supported for whatever time they have left as Team Nigeria athletes (the majority of them are over 30), BUT as a people we need to make sure that we protect the integrity of the Nigerian passport, and what it means to represent this great nation – our immigration services has clearly dropped the ball here.

What’s next if we don’t close the loop on this? Someone will say their friend’s sister’s aunty-in-law is Nigerian and that’s how they got the passport? Essentially, almost anybody in the world can get a Nigerian passport in 24 hours to compete for us. You would think that this MIGHT be acceptable if we were talking about world-class, exceptional talents, but so far they have not improved Team Nigeria – at the Commonwealth Games only one of the recruits got a RELAY medal, while at these African Championships only one of them got a GOLD, which we still would have won anyway if they were not there, as we swept all the medals in that event. We even lost our Continental Crown to South Africa, winning only 8 gold medals this time around, as opposed to 10 in Porto Novo 2 years ago!

When all is said and done, this is not even about the recruits, and we want to re-iterate that we harbour no ill-feelings towards them, and we will celebrate whatever medals they can win for Team Nigeria at any level. What this is really about is how we see ourselves as a nation and a people. We need now to look deeply within, at our system, to make sure that born and bred Nigerians get the SAME opportunities, SAME privileges, and SAME funding as the American Recruits, because if that were to happen, Nigeria WILL surpass Jamaica & USA as the dominant force in World Athletics. It would only be a matter of time. Watch this space.

http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/14/nigerias-golden-girls-win-4x400m-title-as-curtain-falls-on-2014-african-championships/

Nigeria’s outstanding 4x400m women’s relay team capped a remarkable season with their fourth back-to-back title at the African Championships on the final day of competition in Marrakech, Morocco. The team comprising of Patience George Okon, Regina George, Ada Benjamin and Folashade Abugan consolidated on the team's impressive performance this season by sprinting to their first GOLD medal of 2014 with a time of 3:28.87s, with Kenya and Botswana following in their wake in second and third with 3:32.26s and 3:40.28s respectively.

The team won bronze at the inaugural IAAF World Relays in May, and then upgraded to silver at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow barely two weeks ago, before striking gold in Marrakech. It remains to be seen the colour of silverware they would claim when the IAAF Continental Cup gets underway in Marrakech a month from now!

Their male counterparts also won their first medal of the season as they took silver in 3:03.09 as they relinquished their crown to Botswana, who had the current record holder over 400m, Isaac Makwala as the anchor leg of the race. Botswana took the title with a National Record (NR) of 3:01.89s, while Kenya finished in third place with 3:07.35s. Noah Akwu, Robert Simmons, Miles Ukaoma and Amaechi Morton represented Nigeria in the race.

The first medal of the evening was won by Amaka Ogoegbunam in the women’s 400m hurdles, as she finished second in the 400m hurdles behind South Africa’s Wenda Theron Nel who clocked 55.32s to win gold. The Nigerian champion posted 55.46s while Kenya’s Francisca Koki finished third with a National Record of 55.84s.

Chinwe Okoro added another silver in the women’s shot put event where she recorded a distance of 16.40m, while Cameroun’s Sally Dongmo won with 16.84m. Nwanneka Okwelogu placed fourth with 15.14m. The duo won GOLD and Silver in the discus event the day before, with Okoro taking the title with a National Record (NR) of 59.79m.

Dominique Duncan was a surprise Bronze medallist in the women’s 200m as defending champion Gloria Asumnu relinquished her title to Cote D’Ivoire’s Murielle Ahouré who won the crown in 22.36s, while her team mate, Marie Ta Lou Gonezie placed second with 22.87s. Duncan returned a time of 22.98s while Asumnu and Regina George finished fifth and sixth respectively with 23.31s and 23.53s respectively.

In the men’s 200m, Nigeria’s only finalist, Divine Oduduru finished in sixth with a time of 20.81s, in the race that was won by Cote d’Ivoire’s Wilfried Koffi Hua who added the 200m title with an NR of 20.25s to the 100m crown he won two days earlier. Oduduru, who ran a wind-assisted 20.25s in Oregon last month to claim a World Junior Silver said after the race that Nigerians should expect more from him in the near future.
National Champion in the women’s triple jump, Blessing Ibukun Ibrahim, finished in third with a leap of 13.35m, behind Cameroun’s Joelle Mbumi who took gold in 14.02m, and Nadia Eke of Ghana (13.40m).

Overall Nigeria finished second on the medals table with eight gold, nine silver and seven bronze medals, while South Africa take over as the Continent’s Champions with ten gold, five silver and four bronze medals. Kenya (seven gold, eight silver, ten bronze medals), Botswana (four gold, one silver, one bronze) and Cote d’Ivoire (three gold, four silver, one bronze) completed the list of teams in the Top 5. It will be recalled that Nigeria emerged overall champions in the last edition of the Championship, which was held in Port Novo, Benin Republic two years ago.

http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/14/team-nigeria-guide-to-2014-african-athletics-champs-day-5-thurs-aug-14/

Here’s the full schedule of ALL Team Nigeria Athletes competing on the FINAL DAY (Thursday August 14th) at the African Athletics Championships, Marrakech 2014. Unfortunately this is not being shown in Nigeria, as SuperSports only have the rights to show the European Championships, which is happening simultaneously…

Never mind – Follow Making of Champions’ LIVE TWEETS, POSTS and INSTAGRAM throughout the day as we bring you all the Action LIVE & DIRECT from the Grand Stade de Marrakech – stay tuned!



Shot put Women
5.45pm: Final – Chinwe Okoro (NGR No.1, Africa No.2) and Nwanneka Okwelogu (NGR, Africa No.4)


Triple Jump Women
5.50pm: Final – Blessing Ibrahim (NGR No.1, Africa No.3)


400m Hurdles Women
6.10pm: Final – Amaka Ogoegbunam (NGR No.1, Africa No.4) vs Wenda Theron Nel (RSA, Africa No.1), Hayat Lambarki (MAR, Africa No.2) and Anneri Ebersohn (RSA, Africa No.3)


200m Women: NGR vs CIV!
6.25pm: Final – Gloria Asumnu (NGR No.2, Africa No.7), Dominique Duncan (NGR, Africa No.3) and Regina George (NGR)

vs Murielle Ahoure (CIV, Africa No.2) and Ta Lou Gonezie Marie J (CIV, Africa No.9)


200m Men
6.35pm: Final – Divine Oduduru (NGR No.1, Africa No.8 ) vs Isaac Makwala (BOT, Africa No.1), Titi Ncincihli (RSA, Africa No.4) and Wilfried Koffi Hua (CIV, Africa No.5)


4x400m Relay Women
8.45pm: Final – Nigeria (Africa No.1) vs Botswana (Africa No.5), Kenya (Africa No.6), Morocco, Ghana, Ethiopia and Cameroon


4x400m Relay Men
9.25pm: Final – Nigeria (Africa No.1) vs Kenya (Africa No.2), Botswana (Africa No.3), Ghana, Morocco, Algeria and Ethiopia

http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/13/nigeria-in-african-110m-hurdles-clean-sweep-as-akins-al-ameen-ogierakhi-win-gold-silver-bronze/

Nigeria’s 110m hurdlers made a clean sweep of the medals in the event on Wednesday night, leaving their Algerian, South African and Malian rivals trailing in their wake on Day Four of competition at the African Senior Championships in Marrakech, Morocco.

National champion, Tyron Akins confirmed his status as the athlete to beat as he claimed his first African title in his debut outing at the championships, and only his second for Nigeria, with 13.57s. This follows his participation at the Commonwealth games where he just missed out on the Finals. He came to Marrakech as No.3 on the African list for 2014 but upstaged the rest of the field to clinch the title. The last time Nigeria won the 110m hurdles was in 1996 when national record holder in the event, William Erese mounted the podium in Yaounde, Cameroun!

Another new Nigerian athlete, Alex Al-Ameen, who was Nigeria’s No.2 from the National Trials, won silver in 13.78s. He came to the championship as the continent’s 2nd fastest athlete this year, behind Algeria’s Lyes Mokddel who competed in the heats but didn’t show up for the final. Al-Ameen competed in the Commonwealth Games and put up an impressive performance to get to the final of the event where he finished in seventh.

The only home-based athlete amongst them and Nigeria’s No.3, Martins Ogierakhi clocked 13.80s to secure the bronze medal. Ogierakhi holds the top position on the home front as he won all legs of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Golden League and was one of the winners of the much anticipated N2million jackpot. He is also the winner of the last three editions for the National Sports Festival in Nigeria, which will be opened to foreign-based Nigerians for the very first time this year! He’ll have his hands full this time around with Akins and Al-Ameen in the mix!

Unfortunately, only Akins will fly Nigeria’s flag at the forthcoming IAAF Continental Cup, which incidentally holds in Marrakech, as only two athletes represent the continent in each event, and they cannot be from the same country!

http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/13/nigeria-in-african-110m-hurdles-clean-sweep-as-akins-al-ameen-ogierakhi-win-gold-silver-bronze/

Nigeria’s 110m hurdlers made a clean sweep of the medals in the event on Wednesday night, leaving their Algerian, South African and Malian rivals trailing in their wake on Day Four of competition at the African Senior Championships in Marrakech, Morocco.

National champion, Tyron Akins confirmed his status as the athlete to beat as he claimed his first African title in his debut outing at the championships, and only his second for Nigeria, with 13.57s. This follows his participation at the Commonwealth games where he just missed out on the Finals. He came to Marrakech as No.3 on the African list for 2014 but upstaged the rest of the field to clinch the title. The last time Nigeria won the 110m hurdles was in 1996 when national record holder in the event, William Erese mounted the podium in Yaounde, Cameroun!

Another new Nigerian athlete, Alex Al-Ameen, who was Nigeria’s No.2 from the National Trials, won silver in 13.78s. He came to the championship as the continent’s 2nd fastest athlete this year, behind Algeria’s Lyes Mokddel who competed in the heats but didn’t show up for the final. Al-Ameen competed in the Commonwealth Games and put up an impressive performance to get to the final of the event where he finished in seventh.

The only home-based athlete amongst them and Nigeria’s No.3, Martins Ogierakhi clocked 13.80s to secure the bronze medal. Ogierakhi holds the top position on the home front as he won all legs of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Golden League and was one of the winners of the much anticipated N2million jackpot. He is also the winner of the last three editions for the National Sports Festival in Nigeria, which will be opened to foreign-based Nigerians for the very first time this year! He’ll have his hands full this time around with Akins and Al-Ameen in the mix!

Unfortunately, only Akins will fly Nigeria’s flag at the forthcoming IAAF Continental Cup, which incidentally holds in Marrakech, as only two athletes represent the continent in each event, and they cannot be from the same country!

http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/13/super-tuesday-in-marrakech-as-nigeria-grabs-5-golds-to-top-medals-table-after-day-3-of-african-champs/

Tuesday was a busy evening for Athletics at the African Championships in Marrakech, as Team Nigeria went from winning 1 GOLD on Monday night (Blessing Okagbare in the 100 metres), to winning a whooping FIVE in one evening! This takes Nigeria straight to the top of the medal standings after 3 days, and the nation looks well on course to come close to equalling the 10 GOLD medal haul from the last championships in Benin in 2012!

MEDALS STANDINGS AFTER DAY 3
1. Nigeria 6 gold, 4 silver, 4 bronze
2. South Africa 5 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze
3. Kenya 2 gold, 1 silver, 5 bronze
4. Botswana 2 gold,
5. Ethiopia 1 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze

Indeed, it was medals galore on Tuesday, as it wasn’t just the GOLD that Nigeria won on the night – Okoro and Okwelogu made it a 1-2 in the Discus, Brume and Amadi made it a 1-2 in the Long Jump, while Abugan and Okon George finished 1st & 3rd in the 400 metres! Winning two GOLD medals in the men and women’s 4x100m relays was then simply the icing on the cake for Team Nigeria as the country overtook rivals South Africa, to get to the top of the medals table.

Reigning 100m African champion, Blessing Okagbare anchored the women’s team, comprising of Gloria Asumnu, Dominique Duncan and Lawreta Ozoh to gold in 43.56s, ahead of Cote d’Ivoire (43.99s), who didn’t have their star athlete, Murielle Ahouré in action, and Ghana followed in third with 44.06s. This follows Nigeria’s Silver winning effort at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow where the team finished behind Jamaica who won the event with 41.83s, while Nigeria posted 42.93s.

The men’s 4x100m team, which comprised of Ogho-Oghene Egwero, Monzavous Edward, Obinna Metu and Mark Jelks, won their first medal of the season as they coasted to gold in 38.80s, thereby bringing an end to South Africa’s domination in the event. The South Africans, who were favourites for the title pulled out, thereby paving the way for Nigeria to reclaim its lost glory in the event. The medal serves as a consolation no doubt, after their seventh place finish in Glasgow.

Ghana placed second in 39.28s, with Algeria coming third with a National Record (NR) of 39.89s, which elicited wide jubilation from the North Africans. Nigeria holds the AR in the 4x100m (37.94s) while their South African counterparts are owners of the CR (38.75).

In the men’s 400m hurdles, defending champion, Amaechi Morton lost his crown to South Africa’s Cornel Fredericks who is also the new Commonwealth Champion. However, he was consoled by the silver medal (48.92s), having been assured of a place at the forthcoming IAAF Continental Cup, while fellow Nigerian Miles Ukaoma finished in sixth with 50.40s.

Noah Akwu, Nigeria’s last man standing in the 400m, placed seventh in the final that was won by African record holder, Isaac Makwala of Botswana with a CR of 44.23s. Akwu had posted a Season’s Best (SB) of 45.86s in the semis but was unable to replicate the same form in the final as he finished with 46.40s.

The heats of the men’s 110 hurdles was dominated by Nigeria as Alex Al-Ameen won Heat 1 in 13.89s while compatriots Tyron Akins and Martins Ogierakhi finished in the top two spots in Heat 2 with 13.77s and 13.87s respectively. Akins had the fastest time in the final rankings, with Ogierakhi and Al-Ameen following closely. Nigeria can pull off a 1-2-3 in today’s final, barring any injury concerns, but have to watch out for Algeria’s duo of Othman Hadj Lazib and Lyes Mokddel who complete the Africa Top 5 list.

See here for more photos! >>> http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/13/chinwe-okoro-wins-african-discus-title-in-championship-record-okwelogu-gets-silver/

Nigeria’s Chinwe Okoro put up an outstanding performance in the women’s discus throw to win GOLD and defend her African Title from 2012 with a Personal Best (PB) and Championship Record (CR) of 59.79m on Day Three of competition at the ongoing African Athletics Championships in Marrakech.

It was 1-2 for Nigeria as Nwanneka Okwelogu followed in second with 51.66m while Morocco’s Amina Elmouden placed third with 48.21m. Okoro came to the championship with a Season’s Best (SB) of 57.83m while her former PB was pegged at 58.25m.

Going into the competition, Okoro was second in the continental top list, just behind Cote d’Ivoire’s Kazai Suzanne Kragbe who had an SB of 59.61m. However her throw in Marrakech has eclipsed that of the Ivoirian and Okoro says she looks forward to setting more records in the near future.

“It was my best performance and my next goal is to realize the best record in coming competitions.”

It’s time for Chinwe to break into the ‘Over-60′ club in the Discus, and we wish her the best of luck in achieving that!

See here for more photos! >>> http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/13/chinwe-okoro-wins-african-discus-title-in-championship-record-okwelogu-gets-silver/

Nigeria’s Chinwe Okoro put up an outstanding performance in the women’s discus throw to win GOLD and defend her African Title from 2012 with a Personal Best (PB) and Championship Record (CR) of 59.79m on Day Three of competition at the ongoing African Athletics Championships in Marrakech.

It was 1-2 for Nigeria as Nwanneka Okwelogu followed in second with 51.66m while Morocco’s Amina Elmouden placed third with 48.21m. Okoro came to the championship with a Season’s Best (SB) of 57.83m while her former PB was pegged at 58.25m.

Going into the competition, Okoro was second in the continental top list, just behind Cote d’Ivoire’s Kazai Suzanne Kragbe who had an SB of 59.61m. However her throw in Marrakech has eclipsed that of the Ivoirian and Okoro says she looks forward to setting more records in the near future.

“It was my best performance and my next goal is to realize the best record in coming competitions.”

It’s time for Chinwe to break into the ‘Over-60′ club in the Discus, and we wish her the best of luck in achieving that!

For more photos of Brume & Amadi, see here >>> http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/13/brume-adds-african-long-jump-title-to-commonwealth-crown-amadi-takes-silver/

It was another 1-2 for Nigeria in the women’s long jump event as Ese Brume added the African crown to her list of titles with a jump of 6.50m, which was just 6cm shy of her golden jump at the Commowealth Games in Glasgow, while team mate and Nigeria’s No.2, Chinazom Amadi made a leap of 6.40m to finish in second position at the ongoing African Senior Athletics Championships in Marrakech. Earlier in the day, Nigeria recorded a top two finish in the women’s discus throw when Chinwe Okoro and Nwanneka Okwelogu dominated the event.

This latest addition is the fifth title the Delta State athlete has to her name at the moment, including the National Sports Festival crown (which brought her to limelight two years ago), the national title (which she won at the Nigerian Trials in June), African Juniors title (which she won in Mauritius last year), Commonwealth GOLD (in Glasgow earlier this month) and now the African GOLD Medallist! She is also the African junior record holder in the event!

Chinazom Amadi also demonstrated extreme composure in pulling out a Season’s Best jump of 6.40m after initially going out to 6.17m, which would have seen her run out of the medals! She is a seasoned African Championships performer, having won Silver in Ethiopia in 2008 and Bronze in 2006 in Mauritius with jumps of 6.31m and 6.23m respectively! Her PB of 6.60m was set at the National Trials in Calabar in 2012.

Brume has demonstrated by this performance that her GOLD at the Commonwealth Games was no fluke, having emerged as the surprise winner in a field that comprised of more experienced jumpers including England’s Shara Proctor and a host of others. She has been consistent this season, save for the IAAF World Junior Championships where she finished at the bottom of her group in the qualifying round just a week before the Commonwealth Games. It is still difficult to pinpoint what went wrong in Oregon, although it was alleged that she arrived for the competition a day before her event, and was still exhausted by her sojourn.

Ese Brume has truly come of age – the jumping sensation has put that disappointment behind her, and has more than made up for the loss by commanding outstanding performances in subsequent events. The stage is now set for both Brume and Amadi to rub shoulders with some of the world’s best ahead of the IAAF Continental Cup slated to also hold in Marrakech next month!

For more photos of Brume & Amadi, see here >>> http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/13/brume-adds-african-long-jump-title-to-commonwealth-crown-amadi-takes-silver/

It was another 1-2 for Nigeria in the women’s long jump event as Ese Brume added the African crown to her list of titles with a jump of 6.50m, which was just 6cm shy of her golden jump at the Commowealth Games in Glasgow, while team mate and Nigeria’s No.2, Chinazom Amadi made a leap of 6.40m to finish in second position at the ongoing African Senior Athletics Championships in Marrakech. Earlier in the day, Nigeria recorded a top two finish in the women’s discus throw when Chinwe Okoro and Nwanneka Okwelogu dominated the event.

This latest addition is the fifth title the Delta State athlete has to her name at the moment, including the National Sports Festival crown (which brought her to limelight two years ago), the national title (which she won at the Nigerian Trials in June), African Juniors title (which she won in Mauritius last year), Commonwealth GOLD (in Glasgow earlier this month) and now the African GOLD Medallist! She is also the African junior record holder in the event!

Chinazom Amadi also demonstrated extreme composure in pulling out a Season’s Best jump of 6.40m after initially going out to 6.17m, which would have seen her run out of the medals! She is a seasoned African Championships performer, having won Silver in Ethiopia in 2008 and Bronze in 2006 in Mauritius with jumps of 6.31m and 6.23m respectively! Her PB of 6.60m was set at the National Trials in Calabar in 2012.

Brume has demonstrated by this performance that her GOLD at the Commonwealth Games was no fluke, having emerged as the surprise winner in a field that comprised of more experienced jumpers including England’s Shara Proctor and a host of others. She has been consistent this season, save for the IAAF World Junior Championships where she finished at the bottom of her group in the qualifying round just a week before the Commonwealth Games. It is still difficult to pinpoint what went wrong in Oregon, although it was alleged that she arrived for the competition a day before her event, and was still exhausted by her sojourn.

Ese Brume has truly come of age – the jumping sensation has put that disappointment behind her, and has more than made up for the loss by commanding outstanding performances in subsequent events. The stage is now set for both Brume and Amadi to rub shoulders with some of the world’s best ahead of the IAAF Continental Cup slated to also hold in Marrakech next month!

For more photos of the SWEET VICTORY, see here >>> http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/13/abugan-wins-african-400m-gold-in-photo-finish-okon-george-takes-bronze/

True to prediction, Nigerian 400m Champion Folashade Abugan extended her domination across the continent as she emerged African Champion at the ongoing Senior Championships in Marrakech, Morocco, four years after settling for bronze at the 2010 Championships in Nairobi.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrlVXC2bW6I&list=UUVCf8tHxNfUGOcrYIqz_Q-A

Zambia’s Kabange Mupopo had led the semis with 51.54s, as against Abugan’s 52.09s. However the Nigerian had the last laugh in the closely contested final, which she won with a photo finish as both athletes breasted the tape in 51.21s, which was a National Record (NR) for the Zambian and a replication of the Season’s Best (SB) Abugan ran in Calabar to dethrone Regina George as Nigerian champion. Nigeria’s No.2, Patience George Okon secured Bronze in 51.68s while the third Nigerian in the final, Ada Benjamin followed in fourth place with 52.59s, not being able to fully recover from a superb PB of 51.68s the day before!

The absence of Africa’s No.1 and defending champion, Amantle Montsho, who has been provisionally suspended for failing a dope test immediately after the final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, no doubt went a long way in improving Nigeria’s chances for a medal sweep at the event, though it doesn’t take anything away from the fact that the country’s female quartermilers have been in good form this season, winning a bronze medal at the inaugural IAAF World Relays and a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in the 4x400m.

Abugan was the only Nigerian who made it to the final of the women’s individual 400m race in Glasgow where she finished fifth just behind Montsho. She is however hopeful that her victory will serve as enough motivation for the IAAF Continental Cup which is slated to hold again in Marrakech next month.

“I am so happy to win because four years ago I won a bronze medal but this time around, I am the African champion”, she said.

“This season has been a great one for me as I became national champion, won a bronze at the IAAF World Relays and Silver at the Commonwealth Games. I am going to train harder ahead of the Continental Cup.”

For more photos of the SWEET VICTORY, see here >>> http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/13/abugan-wins-african-400m-gold-in-photo-finish-okon-george-takes-bronze/

True to prediction, Nigerian 400m Champion Folashade Abugan extended her domination across the continent as she emerged African Champion at the ongoing Senior Championships in Marrakech, Morocco, four years after settling for bronze at the 2010 Championships in Nairobi.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrlVXC2bW6I&list=UUVCf8tHxNfUGOcrYIqz_Q-A

Zambia’s Kabange Mupopo had led the semis with 51.54s, as against Abugan’s 52.09s. However the Nigerian had the last laugh in the closely contested final, which she won with a photo finish as both athletes breasted the tape in 51.21s, which was a National Record (NR) for the Zambian and a replication of the Season’s Best (SB) Abugan ran in Calabar to dethrone Regina George as Nigerian champion. Nigeria’s No.2, Patience George Okon secured Bronze in 51.68s while the third Nigerian in the final, Ada Benjamin followed in fourth place with 52.59s, not being able to fully recover from a superb PB of 51.68s the day before!

The absence of Africa’s No.1 and defending champion, Amantle Montsho, who has been provisionally suspended for failing a dope test immediately after the final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, no doubt went a long way in improving Nigeria’s chances for a medal sweep at the event, though it doesn’t take anything away from the fact that the country’s female quartermilers have been in good form this season, winning a bronze medal at the inaugural IAAF World Relays and a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in the 4x400m.

Abugan was the only Nigerian who made it to the final of the women’s individual 400m race in Glasgow where she finished fifth just behind Montsho. She is however hopeful that her victory will serve as enough motivation for the IAAF Continental Cup which is slated to hold again in Marrakech next month.

“I am so happy to win because four years ago I won a bronze medal but this time around, I am the African champion”, she said.

“This season has been a great one for me as I became national champion, won a bronze at the IAAF World Relays and Silver at the Commonwealth Games. I am going to train harder ahead of the Continental Cup.”

http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/12/denby-wins-african-100m-hurdles-bronze-as-another-american-recruit-weyinme-finishes-4th/

Nigeria’s 100m Hurdles Champion Nichole Denby, who recently switched allegiance from Team USA, won a Bronze medal in the 100m Hurdles at the ongoing African Championships on Monday in a time of 13.27s, missing out on the GOLD medal by just a hundredth of a second! The surprise winner was South Africa’s Rikenette Steenkamp who took the day in 13.26s, with Cote d’Ivoire’s Rosvitha Okou Bodjiho coming a close second with the same time. Thus Denby’s quest for the African Title and to represent Africa at next month’s IAAF Continental Cup (only Africa’s top 2 qualify for the quadrennial competition) came to an agonising end.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROXhivgs_dY

Denby could not hide her disappointment at finishing in third place after looking so comfortable in the heats just a day earlier: “I’m not happy, I’m not happy. That was a really bad race for me. Really bad. I’m not sure what’s next now – I think only the Top 2 go to the Continental Cup…”She might take solace from winning her first medal for Team Nigeria, after tripping on the final hurdle to just miss out on a place the Commonwealth Games final just over a week ago. She will now have to look forward to the National Sports Festival in Calabar in November which she will now be favourite to win as she will compete for Delta State, since the Festival has now been made open to foreign-based Nigerians for the first time in its history!

In a surprising development, the championship threw up a new face, Lindsay Weyinme, whilst Nigerian fans had been expecting Ugonna Ndu to take to the track alongside Denby in the 100m hurdles heats on Sunday. Another American Recruit, Weyinme previously had not represented Nigeria (and was also not present at the National Trials in June) and virtually nothing is known of her, until now. She came through the heats in 13.39s, and followed that up with 4th in the final behind Denby in 13.43s.

MAKING OF CHAMPIONS Exclusively caught up with Lindsay Weyinme after the Final to find out more about her!

A lot of people in Nigeria will be asking right now ‘Who is Lindsay Weyinme?’ Can you tell us a little about your background? Are your parents Nigerian?

I grew up in the United States, and I have an uncle who is Nigerian who helped me to decide to run for Nigeria. We started doing the paperwork and I wasn’t sure at first, but he helped to persuade me.

What about your heritage – do you have anyone in your lineage from Nigeria?

Yeah, it’s from my uncle who married in.

So where do you see your Nigeria career going from here?

I feel it can only get better. It’s been an up and down year for me in terms of injuries and my performance, so I’m just getting better next year for worlds

And where are you based now?

In Pheonix Arizona.

Ok, all the best for the future and many thanks for your time!

Thank you.

https://makingofchampions./2014/08/12/team-nigeria-guide-to-2014-african-athletics-champs-day-3-tues-aug-12/

Here’s the full schedule of ALL Team Nigeria Athletes competing in DAY THREE (Tuesday August 12th) at the African Athletics Championships, Marrakech 2014. Unfortunately this is not being shown in Nigeria, as SuperSports only have the rights to show the European Championships, which is happening simultaneously…

Never mind – Follow Making of Champions’ LIVE TWEETS, POSTS and INSTAGRAM throughout the day as we bring you all the Action LIVE & DIRECT from the Grand Stade de Marrakech – stay tuned!

Men’s 110 Hurdles

6.15pm: Heat 1 – Alex Al-Ameen (NGR No.2, Africa No.2) vs Lyes Mokddel (RSA, Africa No.1)

6:22pm: Heat 2 – Tyron Akins (NGR No.1, Africa No.3) and Martins Ogierakhi (NGR No.3, Africa No.5) vs Othman Hadj Lazib (ALG, Africa No.4)

Women’s 400m

6.30pm: Final – Folashade Abugan (NGR No.1, Africa No.2) Patience Okon George (NGR No.2, Africa No.3) & Ada Benjamin (NGR, Africa No.9)

vs

Kabange Mupopo (ZAM, Africa No.6) and Maureen Jelagat (KEN, Africa No.7)

Men’s 400m

6.40pm: Final – Noah Akwu (NGR No.2) vs Isaac Makwala (BOT, Africa No.1), Wayde Van Niekerk (RSA, Africa No.2), Pako Seribe (BOT, Africa No.3), and Boniface Mucheru (KEN, Africa No.4)

Men’s 400m Hurdles (NGR vs RSA!)

7.00pm: Final – Chris Morton (NGR No.1, Africa No.5) and Miles Ukaoma (NGR) vs

Cornel Fredericks (RSA, Africa No.1), L.J Van Zyl (RSA, Africa No.3)

Women’s Long Jump

7.25pm: Final – Ese Brume (NGR No.1, Africa No.2) and Chinazom Amadi (NGR No.2, Africa No.4)

Women’s 4x100m Relay

9.05pm: Final – Nigeria (Africa No.1) vs Ghana, Benin, Cameroun, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia and Kenya

Men’s 4x100m Relay

9.20pm: Final – Nigeria (Africa No.2) vs Angola, Seychelles, Kenya, Algeria, Ghana, Senegal and Cameroun (Africa No. 1 South Africa not on the start list!)

For more photos see here >>> http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/12/blessing-okagbare-beats-murielle-ahoure-to-claim-100m-african-title/

For more photos of Blessing's victory see here >>> http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/12/blessing-okagbare-beats-murielle-ahoure-to-claim-100m-african-title/

For more photos of Blessing's victory, see here >>> http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/12/blessing-okagbare-beats-murielle-ahoure-to-claim-100m-african-title/

For more, including photos, see here >>> http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/12/naijamericans-mark-jelks-monzavous-edwards-take-african-100m-silver-bronze/

In the men’s 100m final at the ongoing African Championships, Nigeria’s recently recruited National Champion Mark Jelks, who had looked like the African ‘Champion-Elect’ in the Heats and Semis, was denied the African title by Cote d’Ivoire’s Koffi Hua Wilfred, who won the race in a new Personal Best and National Record of 10.05s, while the Nigerian posted a Season’s Best (SB) of 10.07s to win Silver ahead of team mate, Monzavous Edwards who also clocked an SB of 10.16s for the Bronze. Nigeria’s No.3, Ogho-Oghene Egwero placed fifth in 10.28s, just behind defending champion and the continent’s fastest man in 2014, Simon Magakwe who finished outside the medal zone with 10.19s.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A29m2M5zaSU

Jelks was not immediately available for comments following the race, perhaps leaving quickly after expecting, but failing to capture the African crown. MAKING OF CHAMPIONS exclusively caught up with Monzavous Edwards later in the day, after he helped Nigeria reach the 4x100m final with the fastest time of 39.51s in the Heats, and he told us what his first medal in Green-White-Green means to him, in the face of the difficult reception he and the other American recruits have received in Nigeria since turning up for the National Trials in June:

“It means a lot to me because I was given a chance by a country when I was forgotten about by a lot of athletes, and by the coaches. So it means a lot to me because they gave me a chance. They gave me a shot.”

A lot has been said in Nigeria since the new American recruits arrived. In fact, it has been the hot topic in Nigerian Athletics over the last two months, as the debate has raged on as to whether their presence will actually help or hinder the development of Athletics in Nigeria. Following the Commonwealth Games where they were collectively unable to win any individual medals, and where Jelks was the only one to contest a final, many have asked the question as to whether they would be good enough for medals at a higher level of competition, such as the World Championships or Olympics.

At these African Championships, Jelks was highly favoured to win the title, as he was the in-form athlete in the field, coming in as the only African who made the 100m Commonwealth Final. But Cote d’Ivoire is not part of the Commonwealth, so Koffi Hua Wilfried came in to steal the show in Marrakech! And so, Nigeria's wait for another African men's 100m Champion since the mighty Olusoji Fasuba in 2008 continues (Fasuba is still the African Record Holder with 9.85s). Jelks will likely be disappointed with the outcome, but he will have another chance to go for GOLD when the 200 metres gets underway on Wednesday!

For more, including photos, see here >>> http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/12/blessing-okagbare-beats-murielle-ahoure-to-claim-100m-african-title/

Only GOLD is good enough for Nigeria’s sprint queen, Blessing Okagbare and the reigning Commonwealth Double Sprint Champion added one more precious metal to her kitty as she clocked 11 seconds flat to beat fierce rival, Murielle Ahouré in the women’s 100m on Day Two of the African Athletics Championships in Marrakech, Morocco.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IA3f14Aet8

The race, which was one of the highlights at the Grande De Stade in Marrakech, was a close one but Okagbare’s longer strides came in handy as she pulled through just ahead of Ahouré and another Ivorian Marie Ta Lou Gonezie won Silver and Bronze with 11.03s and 11.20s respectively. Okagbare thus regained her African crown that she lost to Gabon’s Ruddy Zang Milama in the last edition of the championships held in Port Novo in 2012.

The Moscow 2013 double medallist has been in brilliant form in the build up to the championships, going by her exploits at the Commonwealth Games where she posted an outstanding performance, winning the 100m with a scorching 10.85s, and then adding the 200m gold in 22.25s just three days later. Speaking with journalists after winning this latest African title, Okagbare revealed that following her Commonwealth Double she had to push hard for the win in Marrakech:

“I am very happy to have won the title because I just wanted to win for my fans and do my country proud. Just coming straight from the Commonwealth Games, my body is tired, but my coach told me to just focus and execute the race, which was what I did."

“Of course the competition was stiffer at the Commonwealth Games, but that is not to take anything away from Murielle Ahoure. She is a great athlete. It was good that we had three Nigerians in the final – I am hoping that we can have this kind of representation on a bigger platform, like the World Championships and the Olympics.”

Her Nigerian teammates, Gloria Asumnu and Lawreta Ozoh finished 4th and 7th respectively with 11.49s and 11.74s. Okagbare’s medal is Nigeria’s first GOLD at these championships, elevating Nigeria to 3rd on the medals table with one GOLD, one Silver and three Bronze medals. South Africa occupy top spot with four GOLD, three Silver and one Bronze medal, followed by Cote d’Ivoire with one GOLD, two Silver and a Bronze medal.

http://makingofchampions.net/2014/08/11/team-nigeria-guide-to-2014-african-athletics-champs-day-2-mon-aug-11/

Here’s the full schedule of ALL Team Nigeria Athletes competing in DAY TWO (Monday August 11th) at the African Athletics Championships, Marrakech 2014. Unfortunately this is not being shown in Nigeria, as SuperSports only have the rights to show the European Championships, which is happening simultaneously…

Never mind – Follow Making of Champions’ LIVE TWEETS, POSTS and INSTAGRAM throughout the day as we bring you all the Action LIVE & DIRECT from the Stade de Marrakech – stay tuned!

6.10pm: 100m Hurdles Final

Nichole Denby (NGR No.1, Africa No. 2) and Lindsay Weyinme (NGR) vs Rosvitha Okou Bodjiho (CIV, Africa No.1), Gnima Faye (SEN, Africa No.3) and Rikenette Steenkamp (RSA, Africa No.5).

6.25pm: 100m Women Final – NGR vs CIV!

Blessing Okagbare (NGR No.1, Africa No.1), Gloria Asumnu (NGR No.2, Africa No.3) and Lawreta Ozoh (NGR) vs

Murielle Ahoure (CIV, Africa No.2), Marie Ta Lou Gonezie (CIV, Africa No.5) and Nanzie Adeline Gouenon (CIV).

6.40pm: 100m Men Final – NGR vs RSA & CIV!

Mark Jelks (NGR No.1, Africa No.5), Monzavous Edwards (NGR No.2, Africa No. 12) and Ogho-Oghene Egwero (NGR No.3, Africa No.8 ) vs

Simon Magakwe (RSA, Africa No.1), Akani Simbine (RSA, Africa No.2) and Koffi Hua Wilfried (CIV, Africa No. 7).

7.15pm: 400m Women Heat 1 – Folashade Abugan (NGR No.1, Africa No.2)

7.22pm: 400m Women Heat 2 – Patience Okon George (NRG No.2, Africa No. 3) vs Maureen Jelagat (KEN, Africa No.7).

7.29pm: 400m Women Heat 3 – Ada Benjamin (NGR No. 6, Africa No.9) vs Kabange Mupopo (ZAM, Africa No.6).

7.48pm: 400m Men Semifinal Heat 2 – Noah Akwu (NGR No.2) vs Isaac Makwala (BOT, Africa No.1) and Wayde Van Niekerk (RSA, Africa No.2).

7.55pm: Long Jump Men Final – Can Nigeria upset the South Africans from a 1-2-3 clean sweep of the podium

Samson Idiata (NRG No.1, Africa No.5) and Hammed Suleiman (NGR No.2) vs

Zarck Visser (RSA, Africa No.1) , Rushwal samaai (RSA, Africa No.2) and Godfrey Mokoena (RSA, Africa No.3)

8.45pm: 400m Hurdles Men Heat 1 – Miles Ukaoma (NGR) vs Boniface Mucheru (KEN, Africa No.4)

8.50pm: 400m Hurdles Men Heat 2 – Chris Morton (NGR No.1, Africa No.5) vs L.J Van Zyl (RSA, Africa No.3)

9.15pm: 4x100m: Women Heat 2 – Nigeria (Africa No.1) vs Ghana, South Africa, Cameroun and Morocco

9.30pm: 4x100m Men: Heat 1 – Nigeria (Africa No.2) vs Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroun and Morocco