Olopade and Ogba greet athletes and AFN as trials for the 2026 Commonwealth Games begin on a grand note in Lagos

The General Director of the National Sports Commission (CNS), His Excellency. Bukola Olopade and Vice President of the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC), Chief Solomon Ogba, have praised Nigerian athletes and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) after an impressive opening day of the 2026 Commonwealth Games National Trials at the Yabatech Sports Complex, Lagos.

As the competition gained momentum ahead of the second day, both sports administrators expressed their satisfaction with the quality of the performances, the level of organization and the promising talents on display.

Read also: ‘Pressure makes champions!’ Dabo Green sends bold message as Bello Remilekun warns: ‘Our legacy will not be taken away’ ahead of Showtime Bowl XIV | Sports247 Nigeria

Olopade, who was present throughout the opening day, praised the athletes for their determination, discipline and competitive spirit, describing them as the future of Nigerian athletics.

The NSC chief noted that the performances recorded on the opening day reflected the positive impact of ongoing efforts to reposition athletics and create opportunities for athletes to excel on the international stage.

“I am impressed with what I have seen here today. The athletes have shown great commitment and hunger to succeed. This is exactly the type of competition that helps us identify and cultivate talents capable of representing Nigeria with distinction,” Olopade said.

He also praised the AFN for organizing a competitive and transparent selection process, adding that the Commission remains committed to supporting programs that improve athlete development and podium performance.

Chief Solomon Ogba, Vice President of the NOC and former President of the AFN, also expressed his satisfaction with the level of competition and the overall conduct of the trials.

According to Ogba, the performances witnessed on the opening day offered encouraging signs for Nigeria’s preparations towards the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

“The quality of the competition has been very impressive. We have seen young athletes rise to the occasion and established stars maintain high standards. This is good for the future of Nigerian athletics and for our preparation before major international competitions,” Ogba said.

One of the highlights of the opening day was the appearance of five athletes as the first beneficiaries of the Ben Aghazu Award for Excellence in Athletics after surpassing the qualification benchmark in the women’s 5,000 meters event.

Delta State’s Vivian Obadiah led the charge with a personal best time of 17:24.85 to win the race, while Mary Jah Bulus (17:26.28), Aminat Adenike Alabi (17:26.51), Nvou Gyang Tanko (17:26.82) and Arinde Miracle Boluwatife (17:33.07) also achieved the required standard, all recording personal best performances.

Reacting to the feat, the initiator of the award and AFN Second Vice President, Akuchukwu Aghazu, described the performances as a validation of the vision behind the initiative.

“I am delighted that five athletes met the benchmark and all recorded personal bests. This shows that when athletes are motivated and given opportunities, they can exceed expectations. The future of distance running in Nigeria is bright,” Aghazu said.

He also acknowledged the support of Mr. Kunle Oguneye, Gbolahan Fatuga and Nigerian athletics legend Mary Onyali for their financial contributions to the sustainability of the Athletics Excellence Award.

In the field, US-based Prestina Ochonogor dominated the women’s long jump with a winning jump of 6.57m, while Arena Academy’s Olaoluwa Akindunbi produced a personal best of 16.08m to claim victory in the men’s triple jump.

The standout individual performance of the day came from Jennifer Chukwuka Obi, who ran a lifetime best of 11.26 seconds in the women’s 100m heats to announce herself as one of Nigeria’s brightest sprint prospects.

Meanwhile, technical problems prevented the men’s 100m heats from taking place on Sunday. Organizers later rescheduled the event for Monday and the final is now expected to take place on Tuesday.

While senior officials applaud the athletes and the AFN for a successful start, anticipation continues to build as the Commonwealth Games Trials enter a crucial second day, with athletes fighting for qualification standards, national recognition and opportunities to represent Nigeria on the world stage.