Okagbare, George, others hit Warri for All Africa Games trials

• By Gowon Akpodonor 

Blessing Okagbare PHOTO: IAAF.

Africa and Commonwealth Games queen of the track, Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor and fellow US-based 400m star, Regina George, have arrived in Warri, Delta State, for the All Nigeria Open Athletics Championship, which begins today.



The two-day championship will serve as qualifier for track and field athletes hoping to represent the country at the IAAF World Championship in Beijing, China and the All Africa Games holding in Congo Brazzaville next month.

The championship was moved from the U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar, to Warri, following Cross River State government’s failure to release fund to the organisers, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).

The AFN has a five-year partnership with Cross River State, which took over the sponsorship when the federation terminated its deal with the original sponsor, Mobil, due to ‘poor’ funding.
However, after sponsoring four editions of the championship, Cross River State government has decided to withdraw, forcing the Solomon Ogba-led AFN to run cap in hand to Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, to save the competition.

Okagbare, who placed second in the 100m race at the 2015 IAAF Diamond League, tagged London Anniversary Games last weekend, breezed into Warri late yesterday for the event.