AFN President, Chief Solomon Ogba

On Wednesday, Obinna Metu stormed back to the top of Nigeria’s sprints to win the hotly contested 100m event of the All Nigeria/CRS Athletics Championships in Calabar.

In achieving this, Metu upstaged defending champion, Ogho Oghene Egwero (10.19) into the second position while USA-based, Stanley Azie sneaked into the third.

While I can only say kudos to Metu in reclaiming the top prize in athletics, I must, however, point out that the 10.11s time he returned in achieving this feat leaves very much to be desired.

If barely a month to the start of the Games the best time Nigeria’s fastest male athlete is running is 10.11s, then what chance does the nation have in London, where the likes of Olympic champion, Usain Bolt is already running 9.79secs?

Apart from the Jamaican, virtually all those that will contest against him in the final in London are already running sub 10secs. And unless a miracle happens Metu and the others he beat to the prize in Calabar will struggle to even make the semis talk much less of running in the final despite his post match comments!

Speaking shortly after the race in Calabar, Metu insisted that his best was yet to come.

“I am happy I have proved here that changing one’s training regime and coach can sometime be beneficial. Despite taking the title here, my best is yet to come. My aim is to do well at the Olympics in London and not just becoming local champion here,” said Metu, who earlier had posted 10.17 to win his semi final race.

Commenting on Metu’s feat, Team Nigeria’s Head Coach, Innocent Egbunike described the new champion as a worthy student ready to put into practice all he learnt at the Atlanta camp.

“I am blessed to see him smiling now. He told he was coming here to show a few of the new tricks he learnt at the Olympic camp. He had challenges coming to the camp. I am happy that some of the athletes from that camp have shown that it was not all a waste of effort,” said Egbunike, who anchored Nigeria’s 4x400m relay quartet to a bronze medal at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984.

Sorry sir, unless a stunning miracle happens none of these guys will be in the 100m men’s final in London. The same almost applies for women, although in Blessing Akagbare the nation does have a chance of at least having her name mentioned in the final.

So, since Nigerians love praying a lot I think we should also spare a prayer for our athletes hoping that a miracle do occur in London.