AHEAD OF LONDON 2012: NWF DECAMPS 8 LIFTERS

By NBF News

Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF) has dropped eight of the lifters who flew Nigeria's flag at the just concluded African championship in Kenya, even as it named Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, as its London 2012 Special envoy.

NWF's boss, Mazi Chimdi Ejiogu, told Daily Sunsports yesterday that only seven of the 15 lifters who went to Kenya were recalled for the final phase of camping ahead of the London 2012 Olympics.

'We have called seven lifters to our Owerri camp alongside three coaches. We have four female and three male lifters. And the lifters are the very best. They are the ones who set new African and Commonwealth records in Kenya. We are now on the final phase of camping ahead of the Olympics,' Ejiogu disclosed yesterday.

He said the seven lifters in camp would, in the next few weeks, jet out to Germany where they will perfect strategies for the Olympics. Nigeria had at the African Championship in Kenya secured two slots for the Olympics. The country may get one additional wild card slot from International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) to make her tickets three.

Meanwhile, NWF has named Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, as its Special Envoy to the Olympics. Ejiogu said the honour was bestowed on Okorocha courtesy of his support for the nation's weightlifting team that had been in his domain.

'We have been camping in Owerri since last year and Imo State Government has been very supportive. This is why Governor Okorocha has been named our special envoy. He (Okorocha) was in one of our training sessions early this week and had pledged to be in London to cheer our lifters.

'He has also promised to spoil the lifters a little for doing the country proud in Kenya. This is a big morale booster for us,' Ejiogu said. Some of the lifters in camp are: Miriam Usman, Chinenye Fidelis, Augustina Nwokolo and team captain Felix Ekpo, who was named the best African male lifter in Kenya.