GOLDEN LEAGUE: AFN INCLUDES ALL-COMERS IN IBADAN MEET

The Athletic Federation of Nigeria has included an All-Comers event in the second leg of the Golden League on Friday at the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan.

Going by the earlier schedule of the AFN Golden League, only athletes who finished top six in various events are to continue the hunt for the N1m jackpot on offer.

But on Tuesday, the Technical Director of the AFN, Sunday Bada, said the event would be thrown open for all-comers on Friday while the League events hold the next day.

Bada admitted that the League would be used to select athletes for the both the African Championships and the Commonwealth Games.

He said, 'We had initially penciled down 25 athletes from the first leg of the League in Kaduna but a lack of funds made it impossible for us to resume the Ijebu Ode camping. As soon as we finish the second leg of the League in Ibadan, we will resume our preparations for both the African Championships and the Commonwealth Games.'

Meanwhile, the battle for who wins the N1m jackpot will continues at this Ibadan leg of the League with special focus on the sprint event.

While the men's 100m event in Kaduna ended in a photo finish but with a slight advantage going to Delta athlete Oghoghene Egwero, the lad who missed the title by a whisker, Benjamin Adukwu, will be all out to snatch the crown. Both Egwero and Adukwu were timed 10.20 and 10.21 secs respectively.

The women's version of the race appears to be where surprises may happen. Josephine Omaka won the first leg in Kaduna with little or no challenge from the field. But that may change with the return of Agnes Osazuwa to the country after a spell in Europe.

Osazuwa who is aiming to get attention in the Europe circuit is aiming to run an 11. 2 to flag-off her outdoor season. With that in mind, Omaka's dream of repeating her Kaduna feat in Ibadan may therefore be under serious threat.

Also, another N1m jackpot favourite is Margaret Etim of Ondo State who won the first leg of the women 400m in 52.44 secs. She also won the 200m in 23.78secs.

Listed events to compete for the Golden League include (Men): 100m, 400m, 800m, 400mhurdles, Triple Jump, High Jump, 4×100m and 4×400m.

The women are to compete in 100m, 200m, 400m, 1500m, 5000m, 400m hurdles, Long Jump, 4×100m and 4×400m with N20, 000, N15, 000 and N10, 000 as prize moneys for the first, second and third positions respectively