Nigerians shun heavy downpour to catch glimses of Tobi Amusan, others at Benin trials

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The arrival of world champion, Tobi Amusan, and silver medalist at the last World Championship in Oregon, USA, Ese Brume, and other foreign-based athletes lit up the National Trials of the 2023 Worlds in Budapest, Hungary.

This was in spite of the heavy down pour at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium venue of the event as many Nigerians tried to catch glimpses of the star athletes.

The arrival of Amusan, Brume and others, including Udodi Onwuzurike, took the number of the foreign-based athletes to 16 as at yesterday.

Amusan, who won the 100m women’s hurdles event at the Diamond League in Stockholm on Sunday night, arrived in Benin City at about 11am yesterday, but the heavy rain delayed her appearance at the Ogbemudia Stadium.

The news of her arrival had spread around the city like wild fire, eliciting excitements in track & field buffs.

At about 4pm, Amusan, Brume and some other foreign-based athletes took to the tracks of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium to loosen up jet lag with fans in their hundreds applauding From the stands.

Over 160 athletes, including some home-based, those from the United States and some European countries will be on parade at the Samuel Ogbemudia beginning from today for the National Trials to select Nigerian team for the 19th World Athletics Championship holding in Budapest. The National Trials will end on July 7.

Last year, the same Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium was the venue for the National Trials, where athletes for both the World Championships in Oregon, and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, were picked. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Trials, Yusuf Alli, has assured that the government and people of Edo State would give the visiting athletes and officials the best treatment throughout the competition.