Board member of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Olalekan Soetan, has described Nigeria’s outing at the African Athletics Championships in Accra as below expectations despite the country winning 12 medals.
Team Nigeria finished the competition with four gold, five silver, and three bronze medals, but Soetan admitted the overall performance fell short of what many stakeholders expected.
“It was not our best outing,” Soetan said.
According to the AFN board member, expectations from the National Sports Commission were significantly higher before the championships began.
“There were bigger expectations,” he implied.
However, Soetan explained that the federation’s main objective was to expose younger home-based athletes to high-level international competition.
“The focus was also on development,” he noted.
The athletics coach stressed that giving local athletes international exposure remains important for the future of Nigerian athletics.
“Young athletes need these experiences,” he added.
Despite the criticism surrounding the medal haul, Soetan believes the competition still provided useful lessons for the federation and the athletes involved.
“There are positives we can build on,” he stressed.
Nigeria’s performance in Accra has sparked conversations about athlete preparation, planning, and expectations ahead of future global competitions.
“The standards must keep improving,” many observers believe.
For Soetan, the message is clear.
The results could have been better.
Youth development remains important.
And Nigerian athletics still has work to do moving forward.
Because long-term success requires honest evaluation alongside proper athlete development.
