Athletics
Nigeria’s first Olympic Gold medallist, Ajunwa embarks on anti-drug campaign
Chioma Ajunwa, whose 7.12m leap at the Atlanta ‘96 Long jump event fetched Nigeria, its first Olympic gold medal, and so far, the only individual gold medal has embarked on campaign directing youths to stay away from illicit drugs.
Ajunwa, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, was speaking at a conference organized by her outreach, the Chioma Ajunwa Foundation.
It was in commemoration of the 2023 edition of the ‘United Nations Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking’ held at the Police College Ikeja, Lagos.
She cautioned the youths, especially the sportsmen and women to avoid illicit drug use because of its inherent negative effects on their health.
She stated that the conference became necessary in order to create awareness, enlighten and sensitize the youths against the use of illicit drugs and cultism especially among students, athletes, security agencies and general citizenry.
“This fight which my foundation started six years ago was borne out of the desire to make our youths realize that there is no gain in using illicit drugs as it can only ruin their careers and destroy lives.
“Therefore, the conference today is a patriotic effort and also a timely measure taken by Chioma Ajunwa Foundation to help our youths escape from the claws of the temptation posed by illicit drug use.
“I’m glad that a representative from the NDLEA is here to open our eyes on the dangers associated with illicit drug use and its effects. And for our youths to have a breakthrough in every facet of their endeavours, they must shun illicit drug use,” she began.
Ajunwa-Oparah further revealed that the issue of illicit drug use among our youths is becoming alarming, worrisome and very complex because of its adverse effects on the generality of our society.
She affirmed that people in Nigeria who use drugs face stigma and discrimination which harm their physical and mental health, thus inhibiting them from accessing the help they need to overcome the effect of illicit drug use.
However, in her opening lecture, Deputy Director, Directorate of General Investigation, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Mrs Archie-Abia Ibinabo took time to lecture the audience that they should always shun the temptation of doing drugs or allowing their friends to deceive them into joining cultism.
She implored the audience, made up of secondary school students and football academies, that there is no gain in getting involved in illicit drug.
She pointed out the adverse effects which could lead to their untimely death, permanent disability, suicide, psychiatric problem or long jail term.
Ibinabo further revealed the efforts being made by NDLEA at combating illicit drug use by the citizenry and saluted the efforts of Chioma Ajunwa Foundation in drawing the attention of the population on this new scourge.
“Today, we are reinvigorating our efforts at curbing drug menace and that is why the theme of this year’s event is ‘People first! Stop stigma, discrimination, and strengthen prevention.
“My advice to athletes and our youths is that they should stay away from drugs; be clean always and use your God-given talent and strength to compete.
“Also it’s important you advise your friends to stay away from drugs because if they become addicted, it’s always very difficult to overcome it and you will end up destroying not only your life but your family’s name,” she stated.
Achie-Abia reminded the youths that great Nigerian athletes like Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, Taiwo Awoniyi, Chioma Ajunwa, Mary Onyali, Falilat Ogunkoya, Tosin Amosun and some great Nigerians such as Pastors Enoch Adeboye, David Oyedepo, Mike Okonkwo and great businessmen like Aliko Dangote and Mike Adenuga Jnr all became great without drugs.
She restated with a tinge of regret that some great athletes and artists like Diego Maradona, Michael Jackson and Majek Fashek all ended up badly because of drug abuse.
Meanwhile, Prof. Olunifesi Suraj of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos and a United Nations consultant was of the view that the fight against drug abuse should not be restricted to the youths alone, but must all be encompassing because it involves the youths, politicians, security agents and even the military.
He submitted that the fight to eradicate illicit drug use might be difficult to fight because it involves a very powerful cabal who make millions from the business, but was quick to add that to achieve any meaningful progress in the fight, religious leaders and the media must be involved with sustained advertisement carried out on both the conventional and new media platforms to fight the menace.
BY DAPO SOTUMINU
Nigeria’s Francis James and Blessing Shambaz yesterday emerged winners of the 2nd Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Race to go home with the winners prize money of $1,000 in a race that was officially flagged off by the First vice president of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Chief Solomon Ogba, and supported by Mr. Nadin Khan, the president of the World Ultra Running.
James won the men’s race finishing at 30minutes 11seconds to beat all opponents to consolidate on his victory in Abuja when he finished second best in the half marathon held in the Federal Capital Territory middle of the year.
James also emerged the Nigeria’s winner of the World class half marathon.
It will be recalled that James at his last major race in Abuja finished second place in a national half marathon race. He stressed that he used that race to prepare for the Lotus Bank Abeokuta Race and he was very happy winning the race.
He stressed that, the victory at Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10m Race has given him the confidence to do better in others races coming up in Nigeria and its an indication, that he’s very close to making history for Nigeria in subsequent marathon races. He added that, Nigerian runners will pull surprise in the others races not minding the attendance of the East Africans.
In second place for the men’s race is Gyang Raymond at a time of 30 minutes 14 seconds. Gyang got $750 for his effort. While the third place winner is Gyang David Boyi at 30 minutes 54 seconds. Boyi got a cash prize of $500.
In the women 10km race, the runners up that placed second was Daylop Patience at a time of 36minutes 98.28seconds to keep her position in last year’s edition. She got $750.
Third place winner is Agofure Charity at 37minutes 88 seconds.She got $500.
The overall 10km also saw the race by special athletes.
The route of the Lotus Bank Abeokuta Race wore a very active look this morning with the active presence of Febbs table water, a part sponsor of the event.
The volunteers on each points on the route all had Febbs Water on their hands ready to hand them over the runners. The organisers decorated all the runners that crossed the finish line with gold medals, this added to the fanfare and celebrations at the Alake Palace finish line of the race.
The Diamond League will increase its prize money to more than $9 million in 2025, the highest in the history of the series, the organisers have said.
Athletes will make a total of $18 million, with top athletes also receiving promotional fees. Male and female athletes will be paid at the same rate, the Diamond League said in a statement.
“The new total is almost a third higher than the sum paid during the pandemic-affected period of 2021-2024,” the statement said, adding that more will be invested in the athletes’ travel, transport, accommodation, medical and physio services.
Each of the 14 Diamond League meets of the 2025 regular season, scheduled to kick off in April, will award a total prize money of $500,000, with the final in August offering $2.24 million.
“The total prize money per discipline will be between $30,000 and $50,000 at the series meetings and between $60,000 and $100,000 at the final,” the statement added.
The Diamond League’s 2024 season concluded in Brussels last week, with Zurich set to host the 2025 final.
The news comes after World Athletics ended a 128-year tradition by paying Olympic champions at the Paris Games $50,000 each and as rival track events try to muscle in on the circuit long seen as the standard-bearer for professional athletics.
Retired American sprinting great Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track will offer prize money ranging from $100,000 for the winner to $10,000 for the eighth-place finisher at each of four “slams” when the league launches next year.
It will distribute a total of $12.6 million in prize money in 2025.
“In a league of our own,” Grand Slam Track wrote in a post on X, opens new tab on Wednesday, with a breakdown of their prize money.
-Reuters
A record 6,000 runners, local and international from across the African continent and Nigeria have registered for the second edition of the Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Run slated for September 28, 2024, as the organisers, Nilayo Sports Management Limited guns for a bronze label status for the race.
The Chief Operating Officer of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, Ebidowie Oweifie, noted that the theme of this year’s edition of the Abeokuta 10km Race titled ‘For Greatness’ out is out to commemorate the birthday anniversary of the Egba paramount ruler, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo 111, the 10km Run will flag off at Iyana Oloke at 6am and finish at The Alake Palace, Abeokuta.
Kenya’s Peter Nwaniki is the men’s race defending champion at a time of 28 minutes 14 seconds, while Shamila Kipsirir also of Kenya is the women’s defending champion.
Nigeria’s race men’s defending champion is Francis James at 31minutes 08seconds, while the women’s defending champion is Patience Daylop at 36 minutes 31 seconds.
The second edition of Abeokuta10km Race will be sponsored by Lotus Bank, FEBBS Premium Water, Fatgbems Petroleum Limited and Cash Token.
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