byAlfonz JuckASABA NEWS
ASABA (NGR): The 21st edition of the African Athletics Championships is starting on Wednesday at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba in Nigeria. Twenty-nine years after holding this event in Lagos, when they finished top nation, the hosts are eager to replicate their feat. Nigeria last topped the medal table three editions ago, at Porto Novo in Benin in 2012, but since then South Africa have taken over. Among the guests also IAAF President Sebastian Coe. Top names include Caster Semenya, Luvo Manyonga, Beatrice Chepkoech, Conseslus Kipruto, Elijah Manangoi, Blessing Okagbare, Akani Simbine, Marie-Josee Ta Lou.
ASABA (NGR): Due to some organising problems it was decided to change day one time table for round one of the 100m events, Men and Women and the 10000m Men final event. There will be a reschedule of the rest of the program to sit into the remaining four days. Informs Carole Fuchs.
ASABA (NGR): Just one day before the scheduled start of the African Athletics Championships, there were reports of more than 400 athletes from several countries being stranded today at Lagos airport awaiting a delayed connection to the host venue of Asaba. Leslie Koromo of Africa Global Media was among those writing about the chaos on social media. Nation.co.ke reported there were 80 Kenyan athletes at the airport. Kenyan athletes left Lagos for Asaba on Wednesday morning.
ASABA (NGR): The Confederation of Africa Athletics (CAA) has revealed plans to begin a series of one-day meetings on the continent. A trial event was held in Asaba, Nigeria, earlier this month, Athletics Africa reports.
