With months left to the 2016 Olympics, IDRIS ADESINA reports that the entry standards set by the Athletic Federation of Nigeria has made the road to Rio tougher for home-based athletes
On November 10 when the Athletic Federation of Nigeria released the entry standards for the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio, it noted that they were meant to help the federation select the best athletes to represent the country at the Games.
However, the standards, which are higher than the ones set by world athletics body – the International Association of Athletics Federations – in March, have raised more dust than inspire the athletes to work harder. The time limit set for the achievement of the AFN standards is also shorter than that of the IAAF.
The AFN in a statement signed by the federation’s Head of Communication and Media, Olukayode Thomas, said the standards were set to enable the athletes to work harder towards qualification for the Games rather than relaxing on achieving the IAAF standards.
Athletes, who intend to compete in the men and women’s 100m, must run 10.09secs and 11.10secs respectively. For 200m, it’s 20.20secs for men and 22.50secs for women, while in 400m, it’s 45.20secs for men and 50.90secs for women. The IAAF standard for 100m is 10.16secs for men and 11.32secs for women; in 200m is 20.50secs and 23.20secs for men and women; and 45.40secs and 52.00secs for the men and women in 400m.
For the 110m hurdles, the AFN sets its standard at 13.35secs, while that of the 100m hurdles is 12.85secs. The IAAF standard for the two events sits at 13.00secs and 13.47secs for the men and women. The 800m AFN standards for men and women are 1.45.30secs and 2.00.00secs respectively while the IAAF set theirs at 1:45.80secs and 2:01.00secs.
According to the AFN, intending athletes in the men and women’s 400m hurdles must run 48.95secs and 54.93secs, while the men’s high jump was pegged at 2.31m and women’s at 1.98m against the IAAF’s 2.29m and 1.94m. The AFN also set the standard for long jump at 8.20m for men and 6.90m for the women against the IAAF’s 8.15m and 6.70m for men and women jumpers respectively are needed for long jump. The AFN standard for men and women triple jump was pegged 17.25m and 14.60m, which is way higher than the IAAF’s 16.90m and 14.20m.
For the relays, 38.50secs is for men 4x100m and 42.00secs for women. The 4x400m men must run 3.00.00secs to qualify and the women have to clock 3.28.00secs.
For pole vault, the AFN standard is 5.70m for men and 4.60m for women against the IAAF’s 5.70m and 4.50m while the men and women shot put was set at 20.60m and 18.50m against the IAAF’s 20.50m and 17.80m and the AFN Standard for discus throw is 66.00m and 65.15m against the IAAF’s 66.00m and 61.00m for the men and women. The standard for hammer throw is 79.00m for men and 72.20m for women. The IAAF set these at 78.00m and 71.00m. Javelin throwers must achieve the AFN’s 83.00m (men) and 65.10m (women) to make the Olympics while the IAAF standard was set at 83.00m and 62.00m.
In the heptathlon, a total point of 6300 points are needed to make the AFN cut while 8200 points is required in the decathlon. The IAAF expects 6200 and 8100 points to make the Olympics.
Time limit and disqualification for some athletes
According to the IAAF, qualification period commenced on May 1 and would end on July 11, 2016. However the AFN stated that its standards must be achieved between January 1 and June 30, 2016.
This, by implication, has erased the qualification status of some athletes who have met the IAAF standard in their various disciplines at the 2015 All Africa Games in Congo in September. Such athletes as the triple jumpers, Tosin Oke and Olu Olamigoke, who won the gold and silver having jumped 17.00m and 16.98m respectively, would have to start the process again when the new athletics season begins in April 2016. Others whose Olympics qualification status stand threatened by the AFN time limit include Tega Odele, who ran a personal best of 20.45secs in the 200m at the AAG, and Orukpe Erayokan, whose personal best of 44.95secs in the semis of the men’s 400m in Brazzaville saw him seal his qualification to Rio. Patience Okon-George, who also set a personal best of 50.71secs in Congo, will be affected by the new AFN rule.
But hammer thrower, Sayo Daramola, believes the time limit set by the AFN will not help in the actualisation of the standards.
“These standards should have been set a long time ago. We have been throwing 61-62m for two years. With many competitions, we wouldn’t be talking about 71m (new standard for hammer) now. We would have surpassed that mark,” Daramola told Saturday Punch.
“We have to be realistic about things. The question is which miracle can be performed between now and the deadline? Working towards it isn’t an issue but the facilities are a big problem. Making 71m in an Olympic year is a hard target. It needs 365 days of maximum concentration. Realistically speaking, we can get close to the mark but saying we have to throw 71m when the athletics season starts fully in April is really hard.”
Financial motivation
To spur the athletes, the AFN announced monetary rewards for those who meet the target. The federation also promised to reward athletes, who make it to the finals of their events in Rio as well as those who make it to the podium.
AFN promised to pay each athlete, who meets their standard $2,000 while finalists in Rio will get $2,500 each.
On the podium finish, the AFN pledged to pay athletes $50,000 for a gold medal, $30,000 for a silver medal; and $10,000 for a bronze medal at the Olympics. But Daramola said, “It is not about the prize money for the podium finish, it’s rather about the availability of funds to train adequately as an athlete to achieve these goals set for us.
“If funds have been made available to us for a period of two years, we will not be talking about these standards now.”
Another athlete, who pleaded anonymity, said the federation should pay the outstanding debts it owes athletes before making promises.
The sprinter said, “The federation has not paid athletes what they are owed from the national championships and some other competitions, yet they are here promising new ones for meeting a standard that has been met by some of us.
“The athletes, who have made the initial IAAF standards, have nothing to show for it in form of training grants and other benefits but the AFN is saying we should make their standard before we can get $2,000 to prepare for the Olympics after we have finished preparations for the same competition.”
Former national discus champion, Adewale Olukoju, also believes it’s better for the AFN to pay the athletes and provide them with funds for training.
He said, “Before making additional monetary promises, the AFN needs to pay the money still being owed the athletes. This has been the story for a long time and paying them before making new promises will motivate them better than promises they know may not be fulfilled.”
Standards pose threat to Olympic chances of home-based athletes
With the high standards and the short time limits with no competition to improve them in sight, the home-based athletes will find it difficult a task to make the 2016 Olympics which may make the country to rely solely on overseas-based athletes or naturalised ones at the Games.
The sole athlete, who has the best chance of making the AFN standards, is Blessing Okagbare. Her season best of 10.98secs in 100m beats the AFN Standard by almost a second while her season best of 22.23seconds in 200m is also higher than the standard. Also, her personal best of 7.00m in the long jump puts her in the position to get a slot in any of the three events in Rio.Other athletes, who may make the standards, are Gloria Asumnu for the sprints, Alex Al-Amin for the hurdles, Tosin Oke for triple jump and Doreen Amata in the high jump.
A male athlete, who pleaded anonymity, believes the standards were set to discriminate against home-based athletes.
He said, “That standard is too high for Nigeria-based athletes. This is because you cannot give a standard to athletes without even knowing how the athletes’ are being trained. I believe the standard was set to cut off some athletes.”
For 400m athlete, Orukpe Erayokan, the athletes need help to make the cut.
“We home-based athletes need help. I believe we can make the standards if we get money to train well. Since we fought hard to make the IAAF standard, we can do this as well,” he said.
“The 44.95secs I ran in Congo was not a fluke. The Nigeria standard is 45.2secs and I believe more will make the cut. If the AFN can help us with good motivation, we will make it.”
“The home-based athletes will only support these standards because there are some of us who can do close to that under the harsh conditions. But will they be appreciated? So with good encouragement we can give it a go and pray we make the Olympics.”
Nairobi 1987 All Africa Games gold medallist, Olukoju, agrees with the athletes saying, “With the standard they set, only Blessing and maybe three other athletes will qualify. It just shows how the people at the AFN are.
“It is not all athletes that win medals at Olympics. About 90 per cent of the athletes taken to the Olympics by all countries do not win a medal. Most of them are taken for the experience to help them prepare for future championships including Olympics. But the AFN wants ready-made champions because they have not developed theirs.”
As the hue and cry continue, it is left to be seen whether the AFN will soft-pedal and go with the IAAF standards or maintain theirs and shatter the Olympic dreams of some athletes.
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