Okon-George, Onyekwere qualify for Tokyo Olympics

Patience Okon-George and Chioma Onyekwere became Nigeria’s latest entry to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics following their confirmation by World Athletics (WA) to compete at the games subject to official selection by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).             
The two athletes have now swelled the number of Nigerian athletes that will provisionally be competing in the individual events at the games to 14.                             
World Athletics released details of all qualified athletes at midnight of Tuesday June 29 following the expiration of the deadline for qualification.         
 
Okon-George and Onyekwere made the cut via their world ranking in their respective events.       
The trio of Sade Olatoye (Shot Put and Hammer Throw), Jerry Jakpa (200m) and Dotun Ogundeji (Shot Put) failed to make the cut via their rankings.                         
Okon-George and Onyekwere now join Divine Oduduru (100/200m), Raymond Ekevwo (100m), Enoch Adegoke (100m), Ushoritse Itshekiri (100m), Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (Shot Put), Blessing Okagbare (100/200m), Grace Nwokocha (100m), Tobi Amusan (100m hurdles), Annette Echikunwoke (Hammer Throw), Ruth Usoro (Long/Triple Jump), Favour Ofili (200m) and Ese Brume (Long Jump) as the 14 athletes who have scaled World Athletics hurdle.

Their fate will now be decided by the AFN selection team expected to meet yesterday to officially release the names of Team Nigeria’s athletes for the Games.       

The names will also include that for the women’s 4x100m women and the mixed relay. The result for the women’s 4x400m achieved last Thursday at the Lagos Open Athletics Championship was not accepted by World Athletics due to some technical hitches.