The Athletics world is bubbling as countries are rearing to go in preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics games.
Certainly Team Nigeria is not an exception.In it’s determination to make a mark, the Paralympics athletes are currently in Tunis for the 13th Edition of the Tunisia Paralympics Grand Prix. The team comprises nine athletes, an increase from the four taken to the 2019 edition of the same competition who were able to win 10 medals. The team could not compete in Tunisia last year due to the cancellation of most meets because of the outbreak of Covid-19.
MoC’s Ifeanyi Christian is one of the Athletes expected to do well at the competition as he is Nigeria’s fastest Para-Athlete in 100m, 200m and 400m and won three GOLD medals in the T46/T47 Category (for single arm amputees) at his first international outing at the Tunis Grand Prix in 2019.
World attention would also be on Flora Ugwunwa who set a Record to win GOLD in the women’s F54 Javelin at the Rio Paralympics. Flora won two medals at the 2019 Tunis Grand Prix and will be hoping to get on the podium again this time around.
Also Read: Ifeanyi Christian – Nigeria’s fastest Para-Athlete in 100m, 200m, and 400m
A 16-man contingent led by the President of Nigeria Para Athletics Federation Hon. Amobi Chikwendu has arrived in Tunisia ahead of the competition starting on Thursday. The team also comprises nine athletes (six throwers, two sprinters, and a jumper), secretary of the federation Amina Amanchi, two coaches, two medical personnel, and a helper.
The athletes include Making of Champions sprinter Ifeanyi Christian (T46 100m/200m/ 400m), Commonwealth Games GOLD Medallist Galadima Suwaibidu (T47 100m/200m), Rio Paralympics GOLD Medallist Flora Ugwunwa (F54 Javelin/Discus/Shot put), Paralympics multiple medallist Njideka Iyiazi (F57 Discus/Shot put) and Emeka Kiyem (F57 Shotput/Javelin).
Others are Chituru Nwazuzu (F57 Discus), Ikechukwu Omenohor (F57 Shot put/Javelin), Goodness Nwachukwu (F57Shot put/Javelin/Discus) and Monsuru Adebayo, is the only jumper on the team (T46 Long Jump). The Throws Coach for the team is Patrick Anaeto while the Coach for the track team is Adekunle Adesoji.
Nigeria was represented by four athletes at the 2019 edition of the Tunis Grand Prix, who won 10 medals – six GOLD, four Silver – at the end of the competition. Christian won GOLD in all his three events as Lauritta Onye scooped one GOLD and two Silver medals. Ugwunwa and Unyime Uwak each won a GOLD and Silver
(Editor Paul Akhagbemhe)
