Why no Nigerian athlete can win big marathon races

Sports scientists and former athletes have identified reasons no Nigerian athlete would excel in big marathon races organised in any part of the world.

Speaking at the end of Government College Ughelli athletics relays at the weekend, Professor Oritsegbemi Omatete said that it has been established that Nigerian athletes have scientific, natural and selective advantagein in the Sprint event to Marathon races.

He said: “Like the East Africans, you cannot suddenly change an athlete from that zone to run the sprint, it would always be marathon. Nigeria is like that, we have scientific and comparative advantage in sprint races.”

The professor who is also the President Government College Ughelli Worldwide Old Boys Association insisted that individuals and companies should ensure they invest their funds where results would speak for itself, than in an event that won’t bring return on investment.

One of the star athletes that emerged from the GCU relays Godson Brume who won medals in three events namely, 100m, 4×100 and 4x200m relay said Nigerian athletes have temendious advantage in the sprint races and in some field events following the way their body works and geographical zones.

Comparatively, he noted that it would be easier for Nigerian athlete to win medals in sprints anywhere in the world.

“Since I have been competing, Marathon races have not been popular among my friends and none of them had particited in any of the races organised either in Delta State or any part of Nigeria, Marathon has never been attractive to me,” he said.

Former athlete and national 400m hudles record holder Prince Henry Amike said marathon race is not a Nigerian thing. “We could participate to jerk up the numbers but winning it is next to imposibility.”

On why it appears no Nigerian athlete can win a mararhon race, Amike, said “its not as if no athlete in Nigeria can run the marathon, the problem lies in winning it. We have had athletes in Nigeria like Abass Mohammed and others who tried to make impact in marathon races, but they did not go far enough unlike the East Africans.”

Nigeria he said,  made its name in the sprints and  World of Athletics recognises Nigeria as a sprint country.

Also making his contributions on the topic, former national athlete and polevoulter Emmanuel Elili advised companies to quickly invest in athletes in schools as their lies huge talents that could be hunt for future progress in the sport.

Elili who was the meet director in the just concluded GCU athletics Relays insisted that politicians should not be allowed close to sports as their activities have trauncated the progress sports had made over the years.

On the mararhon issue, Elili warned that should marathon races be funded outside the sprints events, Nigeria may find it difficult to raise young talents that would further win medals at the Olympics and other World Games.

He noted that Nigeria has a name in sprints no other country will rival  In Africa, even as he blamed politicians cum lazy sports administrators for recent set-backs in athletics nationwide.