Swimmers, weightlifters gear up for 2011
Both the para-swimming and weightlifting federations of Nigeria
have announced some of the events they plan to organise for athletes this year,
in preparation for international championships most notably the All-African
Games billed for Mozambique.
Top of the list of events lined up by the Nigerian para-swimming
body, which has the task of organising events for physically challenged
swimmers, is a four-day para-swimming workshop.
The event will take place in Ibadan at the Obafemi Awolowo
Stadium, formerly known as the Liberty Stadium, between March 14-18.
Sunny Obot, the secretary general of the federation, disclosed
in Lagos that the workshop is geared towards classifying all physically
challenged swimmers in the country and camping them ahead of the forthcoming
All-African Games.
Obot urged the various states sports councils to release their
athletes for the workshop, which would be handled by national coaches.
Weightlifters also meet
In a similar development, weightlifters will be converging on
the National Stadium, Lagos at the end of the month for the National Men and
Women Open Weightlifting Championship. The championship is their first event of
the year.
The event which comes up from March 21 to 25, is expected to
bring together athletes from across the country.
Uche Onwumeh, the secretary general of the Nigerian
Weightlifting Federation, organisers of the championship, said that the event
is aimed at selecting weightlifters to compete at this year’s African
Championship, as well as the World Championships which will be coming up
between April and May.
Onwumeh also explained that participating states, clubs and
individuals are to take care of their accommodation, feeding and transportation
throughout the duration of the event as no provision has been made by the
federation.
Chimdi Ejiagu, who is the president of the weightlifting federation, also
advised all interested weightlifters to avail themselves of this opportunity as
camping for the international tournament would commence immediately after the
championship.
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