The Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF) says it plans to feature at the 6th International Solidarity lifters Championships slated for between Feb. 8 and Feb. 12 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. NWF Technical Director, Christopher Nwadei, disclosed this while speaking with the Newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.
Nwadei said that the competition was one of the qualifiers for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
He said that camping will begin on Jan. 20 for selected lifters in Abuja in preparation for the championships.
“Lifters will be called to camp in two week time ahead of the competition.
“They will do their best to win every single medal to earn more points to qualify for the Olympics.
“Our target is to feature in the Olympics, the lifters, the technical crew, the coaches will do everything to make the country proud in Uzbekistan in February and Tokyo in July,” he said.
Nwadei said that the federation could not participate in the 6th International Qatar Cup in Doha, Qatar in December due to visa problem. “We didn’t attend the competition in Doha due to visa problem,” he said.
The 2020 Olympics will hold in Tokyo, Japan from July 24 to Aug. 9.
Ochiedike added that the camping was going on well and commended the Minister of Youths and Sports for providing the facilities and equipment for their training.
“We thank the Minister of Youths and Sports for starting early the camping programme and other preparations for the Games.
“We started camping in December, which is something very good for us.
“We have been here since Dec. 17. There were no Christmas and New Year celebrations for us. But we are happy because this has helped our preparations.
“The early camping is a very good development for the national sports federations and the ministry at large to prepare the athletes adequately for the Games.
“The athletes are responding very well, especially the ones that have already qualified, ” he said.
Ochiedike disclosed that 12 weightlifters were in camp, adding that some of them would however be dropped after the trials on Friday.
He said the trials would mark the end of the first phase of camping ahead of the Games.
“The numbers of athletes to be dropped will be determined by the ministry, and it will depend on the quota of those that will travel for the Games,” the coach said.
