The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, and the Vice President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Chief Solomon Ogba, have showered praises on Nigerian athletes and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) following an impressive opening day of the 2026 Commonwealth Games National Trials at the Yabatech Sports Complex, Lagos.
As the competition gathered momentum ahead of Day Two, both sports administrators expressed satisfaction with the quality of performances, the level of organisation and the promising talents on display.
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Olopade, who was present throughout the opening day, commended the athletes for their determination, discipline and competitive spirit, describing them as the future of Nigerian athletics.
The NSC boss noted that the performances recorded on the opening day reflected the positive impact of ongoing efforts to reposition athletics and create opportunities for athletes to excel on the international stage.
“I am impressed with what I have seen here today. The athletes have shown great commitment and hunger to succeed. This is exactly the kind of competition that helps us identify and nurture talents capable of representing Nigeria with distinction,” Olopade said.
He also praised the AFN for organising a competitive and transparent selection process, adding that the Commission remains committed to supporting programmes that will enhance athlete development and podium performances.
Chief Solomon Ogba, Vice President of the NOC and former AFN President, also expressed delight with the standard of competition and the overall conduct of the trials.
According to Ogba, the performances witnessed on the opening day offered encouraging signs for Nigeria’s preparations towards the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
“The quality of competition has been very impressive. We have seen young athletes rise to the occasion and established stars maintain high standards. This is good for the future of Nigerian athletics and for our preparations ahead of major international competitions,” Ogba stated.
One of the major highlights of the opening day was the emergence of five athletes as the first beneficiaries of the Ben Aghazu Excellence in Athletics Prize after surpassing the qualifying benchmark in the women’s 5000 metres event.
Delta State’s Vivian Obadiah led the charge with a personal best time of 17:24.85 to win the race, while Mary Jah Bulus (17:26.28), Aminat Adenike Alabi (17:26.51), Nvou Gyang Tanko (17:26.82) and Arinde Miracle Boluwatife (17:33.07) also achieved the required standard, all recording personal best performances.
Reacting to the feat, the initiator of the prize and AFN 2nd Vice President, Akuchukwu Aghazu, described the performances as a validation of the vision behind the initiative.
“I am delighted that five athletes achieved the benchmark and all of them recorded personal bests. It shows that when athletes are motivated and given opportunities, they can exceed expectations. The future of Nigerian distance running is bright,” Aghazu said.
She also acknowledged the support of Mr. Kunle Oguneye, Gbolahan Fatuga and Nigerian athletics legend Mary Onyali for their financial contributions towards the sustainability of the Excellence in Athletics Prize.
On the field, US-based Prestina Ochonogor dominated the women’s long jump with a winning leap of 6.57m, while Arena Academy’s Olaoluwa Akindunbi produced a personal best of 16.08m to claim victory in the men’s triple jump.
The standout individual performance of the day came from Jennifer Chukwuka Obi, who stormed to a lifetime best of 11.26 seconds in the women’s 100m heats to announce herself as one of Nigeria’s brightest sprint prospects.
Meanwhile, technical issues prevented the men’s 100m heats from taking place on Sunday. Organisers subsequently rescheduled the event for Monday, with the final now expected to hold on Tuesday.
With top officials applauding the athletes and AFN for a successful start, anticipation continues to build as the Commonwealth Games Trials enter a crucial second day, with athletes battling for qualification standards, national recognition and opportunities to represent Nigeria on the global stage.
