LAGOS – Tony Osheku, an athletics consultant and technical director, Lagos State Athletics Association, on Tuesday said that Nigeria was lagging in the long distance races.
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Osheku told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the long distance races should also be encouraged, saying that the sprints were already the nation’s strong point.
“To be sincere with you, we are behind; you know we always say we are a sprints nation but in the long distance races, we are yet to get it right.
“Long distance used to be my area of interest and that is the 800m at the Baptist Academy then.
“We are behind today because you will see a female running 59secs in the 800m but in Nigeria, you find that our older athletes cannot even try it.
“For the women’s world record is 14:11secs, our Nigerian record for the males is 14:50. We are behind looking at the results,” he said.
Osheku also said that for athletes to meet world class records in the long distance races, the athletes should able to cover 12,000 miles.
“If you can cover the 12,000 miles, you will become an elite athlete.
“How many athletes can do this, and how many coaches are keeping a tab on the number of miles their athletes have covered?
“But if you look at all these world class record holders, their coaches are keeping a tab,” he added. (NAN)