By Uzor Odigbo
The top two Nigerian Athletes have secured their places in Team Nigeria’s contingent to the Tokyo Olympics.
They are quarter-miler Patience Okon-George and Discus thrower Chioma Onyekwere who have been confirmed by World Athletics to compete at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo subject to their official selection by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria.
The two athletes have now swelled the number of Nigerian athletes that will provisionally be competing in the individual events at the games to 14.
World Athletics released details of all qualified athletes at midnight of Tuesday June 29 following the expiration of the deadline for qualification. Okon-George and Onyekwerre made the cut via their world ranking in their respective events.
The trio of Sade Olatoye (Shot Put and Hammer Throw), Jerry Jakpa (200m) and Dotun Ogundeji (Shot Put) failed to make the cut via their rankings.
The duo of Okon-George and Onyekwerre will now join Divine Oduduru (100/200m), Raymond Ekevwo (100m), Enoch Adegoke (100m), Ushoritse Itshekiri (100m), Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (Shot Put), Blessing Okagbare (100/200m) and Grace Nwokocha (100m).
Others are Tobi Amusan (100m hurdles), Annette Echikunwoke (Hammer Throw) , Ruth Usoro ( Long/Triple Jump) Favour Ofili (200m) and Ese Brume (Long Jump) as the 14 athletes who have scaled World Athletics hurdle.
The athletes’ fate will now be decided by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria selection team expected to meet Wednesday to officially release the names of the athletes who will be representing Nigeria at the Games.
The names will also include that for the women’s 4x100m women and the mixed relay.
The result for the women’s 4x400m achieved last Thursday at the Lagos Open Athletics Championship was not accepted by World Athletics due to some technical hitches