Lagos- Deji Aliu, a 2004 Olympics Bronze medallist, on Sunday said that there was still a lot to be done in discovering younger athletes for the development of athletics in the country.
Aliu, also a 100m gold medallist at the 1994 World Junior Championships in Portugal, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that his dream was to help the country to regain its lost glory in athletics.
“Sincerely, I think enough has not been done in talent discovery and that is why I want to contribute my quota by starting a reality show named `the making of champions’.
“I want to assist the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) in creating awareness and in the discovery of more hidden talents, especially for the Olympics ,” he said.
Aliu said that it was disheartening that Nigeria no longer produced Olympic champions, noting that camps, regular competitions and athletes’ motivation were longer like in the days when he ran.
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” I cry when I see that we are no longer producing Olympic champions like the days when we ran.
“So I want to start to reality show that will bring these hidden talents out and we will see how everything goes from there,” he said.
The former Olympic Bronze medallist said that talents discovered after the audition, scheduled to hold in Lagos on Feb.28, would immediately resume proper training, where only the best would be admitted into the club.
“Those we finally pick will be called to the club which will serve as a camp to cater for the athletes, assist them in every little way that we can and nurture them to international prominence.
“Basically, after the reality show, we will be pencilling down the best and give them proper training,” he said.
Aliu noted that the club would stand the test of time, saying that its aim is to promote track and field in Nigeria.
“This club is going to be different; this one will stand the test of time because it’s aim and objective is to promote track and field,and track and field alone,’’ he added. (NAN)