The President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria AFN, Tonobok Okowa, has congratulated newly crowned world record holder and gold medalist in the Women 100 meters hurdles event, Oluwatobiloba Amusan, who broke the record twice in one night as she ran 12.12 seconds in the semi-final and 12. 06 second wind aided in the finals to claim gold.
Okowa also congratulated Commonwealth Games defending champion, Ese Brume, on her silver medal feat in the Female Long Jump event after leaping to 7.02 meters to place second behind Olympic Champion, Malaika Mihambo of Germany, who won gold with a 7.12 meters jump.
The AFN President described the successes of the duo as unprecedented in the annals of Nigeria’s participation at the World Athletics Championship as it was the first time Nigeria was winning gold at the World Athletics Championship.
He asserted that Amusan and Brume had further given the AFN the filip to sustain it’s developmental programs aimed at discovering, grooming and exposing talented young Nigerian athletes to the international community.
Okowa opined that Amusan and Brume had also inspired young Nigerian athletes to believe that they can become world champions, stressing that they had brought glory to Nigeria at a time the nation was in need of something to cheer.
He enjoined the duo not to relent but sustain the tempo ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham which commences on Friday.
The AFN President also commended Team Nigeria Athletes for their performances saying despite not achieving their desires they showed that they had what it took to become champions. He enjoined them to focus on the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Birmingham saying it presented them another platform to show that they can be champions. Okowa assured them of the AFN’s commitment to providing adequate welfare and the platform to enable them excel.
