On the final day of the World Athletics Championship Trials morning session which held on Friday at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, saw Temitope Oluseun and Victoria Efe emerged as winners of women’s 10,000 meters and women’s Javelin events respectively.
Victoria Efe representing Cross River state emerge as the winner of the Javelin event with a throw of 42.20.
In an exclusive interview with The Nigerian Observer, Victoria stated that “The facilities here are very very okay, and my stay here, I really enjoyed it. The room was very okay, the feeding in the morning is very good as well”.
In the track and field event, Temitope representing The Nigerian Customs won the women’s 10,000 meters final race.
While speaking to The Nigerian Observer, Temitope narrated “My name is Temitope Oluseun representing Customs and I just won the 10,000 meters women’s final race.
“It’s my first time running in this event and championship. I wasn’t supposed to run in this event due to an injury, but my coach told me to compete because I have the endurance to do so and I believed my coach,” she said,
Speaking further, Temitope commended the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, for providing functional standard sporting facilities at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.
“The facilities put in place here are very okay and the environment is conducive. I really enjoyed my stay here in Edo State. I want to say a big thank you to the Governor, and I would love to gain your support in future time.”
Speaking on the quality of the facilities at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, one of the National Technical Officials, Coach Raphael from Kaduna also applauded Edo State Government stating that “When we mention sports facilities in the country Edo state has one of the best. Kudos to the Edo State Government.
“I can also say the state sports facility is among the top two in Nigeria. This is because the government put in place people with the knowledge in sports and not based on political reasons to oversee the facilities.”
Commenting on the event and its organization, the founder of Coach Felix Academy and Sports Foundation, Osiegbe Felix Onoriode, a world athletics licensed coach, who is also the Public Relations Officer of the Athletics Coaching Association of Nigeria, emphasized, “In fact the National Trials going on at the Samuel Ogbeumdia Stadium is in fact a beautiful one, it has been organized so nice, I noticed a change and some new concepts concerning the National Championship, the colours, the fanfare and most especially the professionalism and the technicality that has been put in place. This can be linked to the Chairman of the organizing committee in the person of Yusuf Ali. He has put in a lot of machinery on ground to make sure the event run smoothly which we all can observe right now, it’s a beautiful one and it is going on well”.
