Udo-Obong hails AFN's trials shift
Nigeria's 400m athlete has welcomed the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) postponement of the national track and field Olympics trials due next month till July.
Udo-Obong, a 400m relay silver medallist at the 2000 games in Sydney and bronze medallist in Athens 2004 also praised the promise of training grants to athletes preparing for the Olympics, but warned that the promise should be fulfilled.
He told a local sports station, Brila FM 88.9: "The national championship has been postponed, but that does not mean it will not hold again. Since it just has to hold, and since the Olympics must hold, anyone who relaxes will not get the desired results when the time eventually comes.
"All athletes basically are training to get prepared for the Olympics, which is in August. The training will see us peak in July.
"The technical director, who is a former athlete, knows what he is doing and he has chosen the national championship programme to allow the athletes hit their best form just before the Olympics.
"Another advantage is that we will have better results at the trials, because the athletes would be better prepared.
"The AFN should learn how to make athletes happy. They should always try to satisfy us by giving what we have been promised. It’s the right way to go about bringing good results."
'Welcome move'
However another Olympics medal hopeful, Uche Isaac, the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championship 60 metres finalist, whilst in support of the postponement nevertheless expressed a contrary view on the change of the venue from Abuja to Lagos.
Uche told a local sports radio, Brila FM in Lagos: "It’s a very much welcome move by the AFN. We can now concentrate on a proper build-up after the indoor season, and redirected ourselves properly for the outdoor.
"For me, I will prefer having the trials in Abuja. All of us know that the FCT has the best facilities in the country.
"We will only have to plead with the AFN to ensure they embark on an aggressive publicity drive to get the much needed crowd into the stadium to watch the events," he added.
