At the end of the third leg of the AFN Golden League at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) Sports Complex last weekend, female sprinter, Peace Ukoh, celebrated as if she had won an Olympic gold medal.

Ukoh ran a fantastic race by returning 11.22secs in the women’s 100m, a performance that was hailed by the spectators present at the venue, including the Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama.

“My happiness today is not about placing first in this event, but the fact that I was able to run a fast time,” Ukoh told The Guardian as she waved to the crowd in appreciation of their support.

“I am very glad it happened and I will continue to push harder so as to be among the jackpot winners,” she added.

The fourth leg of the 2003 AFN Golden League, sponsored by Solid Works Limited will take place this morning at the Ilorin Township Stadium. The first leg took place at the Gateway Stadium, Sagamu while the second leg at the Adokie Amesiemeka Stadium in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, followed it.

However, the third leg in Benin City was postponed due to protest by some athletes who felt that the standard set by the AFN as benchmark for selection for the World Athletics Championship, was on the high side. The AFN tagged the athletes’ rebels and lazy people crying wolf where there was none.

Three of them were banned while the Golden League competition was suspended. Those axed for ‘instigating’ a boycott of the Benin leg of the league were Saheed Osanyande, Afeez Imama and Lekan Soetan.

When the suspension was lifted, the athletes shocked some followers of the game with their performances in their respective events.

“This is why Solid Works Limited is helping AFN in sponsoring these competitions so that talented athletes could leverage on their talents, the AFN Technical Director, Nesiama said.

The rescheduled third leg in Benin was nearly marred by heavy down pour, and according to Nesiama, Nigerians would have witnessed fast times in Benin if not for the rain.

“I was not happy when athletes could not compete in Benin last time, but this time around, they have proven that given more opportunities, they would dare Nigerian athletes in Europe and America,” he stated.

As the athletes converge in Ilorin for the fourth leg of the AFN Golden League today, Nesiama is hoping for a better performance from the athletes.

Today, the athletes are expected to compete in 16 events, including, the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 100mh, 400mh and 5000m. Others are the triple jump, short put, 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

But some of the events that will catch the attention of Nigerians are the 100m, 400m and 4x100m relays. At the UNIBEN Sports Complex two weeks ago, quarter-miler, Patience George Okon representing Cross River State posted a blistering 51.96secs in the 400m women event. She is expected to give Ilorin fans another thrilling race today.

The athletes have tagged today’s 4th leg in Ilorin ‘very important’ because it would play a major role in their qualification for the final leg of the league and the National trials in Calabar later this month.

Today’s event will also serve as qualification for the AAC Super Grand Prix in Warri on June 14.

The AFN Technical Director, Nesiama said yesterday that four lanes have been reserved for the athletes at the Warri Grand Prix to compete against the best from other parts of the World. “We will use the Ilorin leg of the Golden League to select the athletes for the Warri Grand Prix,” he said.

The athletes are expected to approach today’s meet in Ilorin with maximum concentration as adverse weather conditions at previous events dimmed their efforts, especially in Port Harcourt, where some of them were unable to compete due to torrential rain.

Ilorin fans would witness a thrilling race hoping that Peace Ukoh (11.25secs) in 100m women and Patience Okon (51.96secs) 400m women would reenact their form this afternoon.

Also expected to thrill the fans is quarter miller, Kemi Adekoya. The female athlete beat celebrated Bukola Abogunloko in the 400m race in Port Harcourt during the second leg of the Golden League.

Another athlete to watch out for is Isah Salihu of the Nigeria Custom Services. The quarter-miler has been in fantastic form this season, though he will face stiff challenge from the likes of Goddey James and Abiola Onakoya today.

The 2011 Garden City National Sports Festival (NSF) sprint king, Chris Onyeaku, returned 10.1secs to send the crowd into wild jubilation last weekend in Benin. All eyes will be on him this afternoon in Ilorin.

An elated Onyeaku said after the fantastic race at the UNIBEN Sports Complex last week that the cheering fans encouraged him to push forward in the 100m race.

“I owe the crowd a lot of gratitude because they kept urging me on when the rain was making it difficult for a fast time on the tracks. This was my second fastest time in 100m since 2011 Garden City National Sports Festival, which I won and I’m hoping to improve on it beginning with the fourth leg of the Golden League in Ilorin,” he noted.

Meanwhile, the AFN Technical Director has emphasised that winning cash prizes by placing first in each event does not guarantee invitation to camp, but meeting the standards by the AFN.

The President of AFN, Chief Solomon Ogba said yesterday that he was looking forward to good weather condition today in Ilorin. “Apart from good weather, I am appealing to the people of Ilorin and its environs to come and cheer the athletes in their respective events,” Ogba stated.

It would be recalled that a majority of the athletes, especially in the sprint events, were able to achieve the standard during the 3rd leg in Benin. However, they are hoping to have a go at the jackpot this afternoon.