By Uzor Odigbo
Smarting from arguablely below average performance at the recently concluded XXI Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, Nigerian athletes and coaches are calling for immediate preparation for the forthcoming Africa Senior Athletics Championships in Asaba in August 2018.
Seventy-five athletes that participated in the Gold Coast event are projected to represent the country in Asaba where they are expected to surpass one gold, two silver and one bronze medals they won in Australia.
Some of them who volunteered comments on arrival from Australia on Wednesday traced their drop-in-form to poor preparations which arguably deprived them of opportunities to win medals aside unattended injuries a few of them incurred during CWG trials in Nigeria.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, senior athletes among them however called for immediate camping and rehabilitation of athletes injured in Australia, insisting that most of them are psychologically down following poor showings at competitions they anticipated medal haul.
‘‘I want to do well at the Africa senior athletics championships in Asaba and the time to prepare us is now. At the just ended Commonwealth Games, we did not prepare well because they said that there was no money. This time around, the competition is in Nigeria, they should prepare us well not to be disgraced,’’ one of the athletes said.
Some of the coaches that accompanied the contingent to Australia and back opined that though, poor preparation was part of the problems they faced while in Gold Coast, the major bane was inexperience some of the new athletes that traveled for the first time exhibited.
According to them, majority of them were inexperienced and needed more time to train more for major competitions like that, while others could not hit form to compete at such a high level.
The coaches however believed that prompt preparations for athletes and coaches would improve performance at all levels.
They also noted that the fast approaching Africa Senior Athletics Championships is another big kettle of fish. The coaches however observed that, ‘in Gold Coast, there are many sports, this time around, its only athletics which makes it more demanding on athletes and coaches in Nigeria’
For the coaches, athletes’ preparation for Asaba 2018 should begin immediately with many competitions lined-up now the out-door season is here. There should be no dull moments from athletes at home to those competing abroad. Synergy must be formed to psychologically prepare for the expected championships in Asaba.
On how best athletes could be motivated for high performance, the coaches insisted that funds must play some roles, they maintained that some of the elite athletes were not adequately rewarded while in Australia, for those who merited the grants and were denied should be paid, if this advise is heeded, wounds would heal quickly and performance would soar.
