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Sports News of Monday, 7 June 2021

Source: punchng.com

Olympics: Don’t allow AFN crisis distract you - Ajunwa advises athletes

Olympics gold medallist, Chioma Ajunwa Olympics gold medallist, Chioma Ajunwa

Olympics gold medallist, Chioma Ajunwa, has advised Nigerian athletes to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games not to allow the crisis rocking the Athletics Federation of Nigeria distract them.

Ajunwa, whose 25-year African long jump record was recently broken Ese Brume, said the athletes should focus on achieving greatness at the Olympics.According to her, in-fighting in the federation stopped Blessing Okagbare from winning a medal at the 2012 Olympics in Brazil.

“I had thought Blessing Okagbare would break my record at the last Olympics, but the in-house fighting never allowed the athletes to concentrate. And that’s why it’s very important that the Athletics Federation of Nigeria officials work together to help the athletes put in their best.

“Due to the in-house fighting then, Okagbare couldn’t concentrate and that record was not broken. But this time around, I thank God that irrespective of what’s happening in our federation, this girl (Brume) was able to make it happen.

“The athletes are preparing on their own, so it doesn’t really matter. I think by now, they should have been used to it. But all I’m praying is that the people involved should think about the athletes,” Ajunwa told The PUNCH.

The police officer also appealed to the warring factions in the AFN to sheath their swords in the interest of the athletes.“The athletes should also not be distracted by what is happening in the AFN because it’s been a long time, and I don’t know what they are drafting.

For the interest of the athletes, the officials should give peace a chance. They should allow someone who has been elected to finish his tenure and then another person can take over. All we are interested in is for them to give the athletes the chance to perform,” she added.