Delta awards N25m training grants to Okagbare, other athletes

DELTA State yesterday boosted Nigeria's chances of glory at the London 2012 Olympic Games when it doled out N25 million to its athletes with prospects of competing at the London Olympics.Nigeria's brightest prospect for a medal at the next Olympics, Blessing Okagbare, will have a reasonable share of the training grant. With barely six months to the flag-off of the Games, it is on record that Nigerian athletes are yet to begin preparations for London 2012, a prerequisite to fail at the event.But mindful of the embarrassment that such a failure would have on the country's already battered sporting image, the Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has spurred the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games bronze medallist, Okagbare, with the training grant, while promising more money for Delta athletes preparing for the tourney.Represented by the President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Solomon Ogba, Uduaghan said in Asaba that the money was meant to assist Okagbare and other athletes get their Olympics preparations off the ground: 'This is just our own little way of boosting our athletes ahead of the Games,' Ogba said.'We want you to use the money to train, so that you would be able to compete with the world's best in London.'And overwhelmed by the governor's gesture, Okagbare, whose best time so far in the 100 metres is 11 seconds flat, expressed her gratitude and promised to do her best at the Olympics. She added that she would have Delta State in mind when competing for honours at the July Games.'This is just overwhelming for me and I can only promise you and the good people of Delta State that I would do my utmost best in London,' she said.'You can also be sure that I would have Delta on my mind when I am running or jumping.'Okagbare's leap of 6.88 metres fetched her a bronze medal at the last Games in Beijing. She has since improved on that with a 6.91 jump.
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