Team Nigeria’s Gaborone Outing a Massive Success Story — AFN Vice President Aghazu
Oru Leonard
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), has described Team Nigeria’s performance at the World Relays Championships in Gaborone, Botswana, as a major success story driven by youthful talent, strategic support, and strong administrative backing.
Speaking shortly after returning to Nigeria from Botswana, the 2nd Vice President of the AFN, Akuchukwu Aghazu, praised the largely home-based Team Nigeria contingent for its impressive showing against some of the world’s leading relay nations.
According to Aghazu, popularly known as Aku, the competition demonstrated the growing strength and potential of locally-developed athletes within Nigeria’s athletics system.
“The outing of the youthful Team Nigeria dominated by home base athletes was a huge, huge success story by every indication and benchmark,” she said.
She noted that Nigeria’s achievements at the championships were not only the result of performances on the track but also the product of strong motivational and administrative support behind the scenes.
Aghazu, who played a key role in supporting and motivating the athletes, especially the female contingent, expressed confidence that home-grown athletes possess the quality needed to compete at the highest level globally.
“I believe the home-grown talents have what it takes to engrave Nigeria’s name in gold,” she stated.
“Yes, we need the overseas-based athletes, but what we have at home are equally good enough to compete with the elite in any part of the world.”
She stressed the importance of creating more opportunities for domestic athletes through regular competitions and improved support systems.
“Athletes don’t run sub-10s in the gym or classroom but on the track when they race against each other on a regular basis,” she added.
The AFN Vice President also commended the National Sports Commission (NSC) for its continued support and commitment to athletics development in the country.
“The NSC has been pulling the right strings and backing us. I commend them for their support,” Aghazu said.
She further called on state governments across Nigeria to invest more in athletics by organizing annual competitions capable of exposing grassroots talents to high-level competition.
“If at least each state of the Federation stages a big meet each year, the home-based athletes will have enough opportunities to improve on their timings and jumps, including throws,” she explained.
According to her, such initiatives would not place excessive financial pressure on the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Aghazu also emphasized the role of private sector participation in advancing sports development across the country.
“The corporate bodies are willing to put their hands on the plough into sports and fund it well,” she noted.
Team Nigeria’s performance in Botswana has boosted optimism ahead of future international competitions after the team secured three qualification tickets to the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, China, as well as one slot for the maiden edition of the World Ultimate Athletics Championships scheduled for September in Budapest, Hungary.
The outing has further reinforced confidence among athletics stakeholders that Nigeria’s blend of emerging home-based talents and experienced athletes can deliver more podium finishes on the global stage.
