AFN names 25 females, 11 males for Rio Olympics

Solomon Ogba, outgoing AFN boss.

No fewer than 36 athletes have been selected by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to represent the country at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Brazil.

Their names are in a statement by the AFN Technical Director, Omatseye Nesiama and made available on Wednesday in Lagos.

The athletes, made up of 25 females and 11 males, will represent the country at the Games scheduled for Aug. 5 to Aug. 19.

In the women’s 100m are Blessing Okagbare, Gloria Asumnu and Jennifer Madu, while the male 100m sprinters are Ogho-Oghene Egwero, Adeseye Ogunlewe and Monzavous Edwards, the statement said.

It noted that Blessing Okagbare will be the only female athlete to represent the country in the women’s 200m, while the men’s 200m sprinters are Divine Oduduru and Oghenetega Odele.

The quarter milers in the women’s event are Patience Okon-George, Margaret Bamgbose and Omolara Omotosho.

Orukpe Eraiyokan is the only quarter miler in the men’s category, it added.

In the 100m Hurdle is Oluwatobiloba Amusan, while Antwon Hicks will feature in the 110m Hurdle in the men’s category.

Amaka Ogoegbunam and Miles Ukaoma will feature in the 400m Hurdles women’s and men’s category respectively.

In the High Jump women’s event is Doreen Amata, while Ese Brume will feature in the Long Jump event.

Chinwe Okoro will feature in the Discus event and Nwanneka Okwelogu in the women’s Shot Put.

In the men’s Triple Jump are Tosin Oke and Olumide Olamigoke, while Steven Mozia will participate in the Shot Put event.

Uhunoma Osazuwa is the only athlete for Heptathlon event.

The women in the 4x100m event are Blessing Okagbare, Peace Alphonsus Uko, Gloria Asumnu, Agnes Osazuwa, Jennifer Madu, Zainab Sanni, Cecilia Francis, Olivia Ekpone and Kadijah Suleiman.

The 4x400m relay list comprises of Patience Okon George, Omolara Omotosho, Margaret Bamgbose, Regina George, Yinka Ajayi, Rita Vivian Ossai, Blessing Mayungbe, Funke Ogunbase and Ekundayo Sogbesan.