As preparations intensify for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games Trials in Lagos, athletes and coaches have received a major morale booster following the introduction of a special performance-based reward scheme designed to inspire excellence among home-based competitors.
The laudable initiative, known as the Ben Aghazu Prize for Excellence in Athletics, was instituted by the 2nd Vice President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Akuchukwu Chineze Aghazu, in honour of her late father, Ben Aghazu.
The prize will see outstanding athletes rewarded with N100,000 each for achieving predetermined performance standards in 14 events during the Commonwealth Games Trials scheduled to hold in Lagos from June 20 to 22.
In a further demonstration of her commitment to grassroots athletics development, Aghazu also announced that two exceptional coaches, one male and one female have been selected to receive the Excellence in Athletics Award for coaches.
Athletes who attain the set benchmarks established by the AFN Technical Committee will smile home with the prize.
The initiative has been widely hailed as a timely intervention aimed at motivating home-based athletes to strive for international standards while rewarding coaches whose dedication contributes significantly to athletes’ success.
“The intention is to support and encourage our home-based athletes and outstanding coaches,” Aghazu said while unveiling the reward scheme.
President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Chief Tonobok Okowa, expressed delight over the initiative, describing it as a commendable gesture that will inspire athletes to raise their performance levels at the crucial trials.
“I am excited by this thoughtful initiative from our Second Vice President, Aku Aghazu. This is the kind of support that motivates our home-based athletes to give their very best during these all-important Commonwealth Games Trials,” Okowa who is also the Senior Vice President of the Confederation of African Athletics said.
According to the AFN president, performance-based incentives remain one of the most effective ways of encouraging athletes to pursue excellence while creating healthy competition among participants.
Okowa also used the opportunity to call on corporate organisations and well-meaning Nigerians to emulate the gesture by supporting athletics and investing in the country’s sporting talents.
“We appeal to individuals, corporate bodies and stakeholders in the private sector to throw their weight behind athletics and our athletes. There is enormous talent in Nigeria and with the right support, our athletes can continue to make the nation proud on the global stage,” he added.
The Ben Aghazu Prize for Excellence in Athletics covers the men’s and women’s 100m, 200m, 400m, 1500m and 5000m, as well as the long jump and javelin events.
To earn the N100,000 reward in the men’s 100m, an athlete must clock 10.10 seconds, while the women’s benchmark is 11.20 seconds.
In the 200m, male athletes must run 20.60 seconds, while female athletes are required to achieve 22.70 seconds. The qualifying standards for the 400m are 45.30 seconds for men and 51.00 seconds for women.
For the 1500m, athletes must run 3:50.00 for men and 4:20.00 for women to claim the prize, while the 5000m standards have been fixed at 14:00.00 for men and 17:50.00 for women.
Field event athletes have also been included in the incentive package. Male long jumpers must soar to 7.90 metres, while female athletes are expected to reach 6.50 metres. In the javelin throw, the targets are 81 metres for men and 55 metres for women.
Should athletes meet the required marks across all 14 events, a total of N1.6 million could be disbursed during the three-day competition.
Beyond the monetary reward, the scheme sends a powerful message that outstanding performances will be recognised and celebrated. It also reinforces the importance of coaching excellence, ensuring that those working tirelessly behind the scenes are equally appreciated.
With the Commonwealth Games Trials fast approaching, athletes now have an added incentive to produce world-class performances, thanks to Akuchukwu Aghazu’s thoughtful gesture and her determination to honour the legacy of her late father through the advancement of Nigerian athletics.
