The hopes of Tobiloba Amusan, the reigning 100m women’s hurdles champion, making it to the forthcoming 2023 World Athletics Championship in Budapest, Hungary, may have been extinguished.
This follows the omission of her name from the roster of athletes listed by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Tuesday evening for the global showpiece.
The AFN Technical Director Samuel Onikeku had given a glimmer of hope when he was quoted in the Guardian that Amusan was listed for Nigeria pending the determination of her arbitration with the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).
Amusan is challenging her provisional suspension for missing three whereabouts testing within 12 months; insisting she is clean and has nothing to hide.
The AIU had promised that they would give a verdict on the appeal made by Amusan before the World Championship commences in Budapest.
However, on the list made public on Tuesday, the AFN did not list Amusan.
Conspicuously missing on the roster is the duo of Udodi Onwuzurike and Godson Brume who have enjoyed a blistering season in the United States with their Colleges and made the qualifying standards for the 200m and 100m events.
Brume leads the way
Top of the list of athletes heading to Budapest is the ever-reliable Ese Brume who has won a medal in the last two editions of the World Championship in Doha and Oregon.
The African record holder in the Women’s Long Jump event won bronze in Doha and then silver in Oregon, and many are now waiting to see if she will go one step further for gold in Budapest.
Apart from Brume, the old war horse, George Patience Okon, Success Umukoro, Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma, and Ruth Usoro, all made the cut.
Also, the quartet of Deborah Oke, Imaobong Uko, Nse Uko, and Pamela Amaechi were included.
Notable Nigerian male athletes like Itshekiri Usheoritshe, Ashe Favour, Seye Ogunlewe, Alaba Akintola, Fakorede Adekalu, Karlington Anunagba, and Enekwechi Chukwuebuka (shot put) made the list.
The AFN had recently organised trials at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, Edo State, to assess athletes’ performances.
Though the Federation threatened that athletes who snubbed the trial would not be selected while they selected only those who met the required standards and times set by World Athletics for the competition.
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