AFN begins 2015 season with D. K. Olukoya championship

THE Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), is set to flag off its activities for the 2015 season with the 5th edition of Dr. D. K. Olukoya Youth and Junior Athletics Championships. It is scheduled February 6-7 in Lagos.

  Technical Director of AFN, Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama told The Guardian Thursday that the federation would use the D.K Olukoya’s tourney to prepare the country’s junior athletes for the African Junior Championship holding in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in March, while the U-20 athletes will use the tournament as build up to the African Youth Championship in Mauritius in April.

   The AFN said yesterday that all entries for both championships are expected to reach the Federation Secretariat before midnight February 2, 2015 via e-mail ngr@mf.iaaf.org, stating that the deadline would be strictly adhere to as no entry will be entertained at the venue of the competition. 

  “Only athletes between ages of 16 and 17 years (athletes born in 1998, 1999 or 2000) and 18 and 19 (athletes born in 1996 and 1997) are eligible to participate in the youth and junior events respectively,” AFN said. 

  The federation disclosed that there would be screening of all athletes in the early hours of February 6, before the commencement of the championships. The AFN is considering either the Teslim Balogun Stadium or Yaba Technology as venue of the championship. 

  Some other major championships for the AFN this year include the World Championship in Beijing, China and the All African Games.