Tobi Amusan, Ese Brume, Others In Benin As National Trials Begin

The national trials for all categories of Nigerian athletes are set to commence in Benin, Edo state capital, from today, July 5, 2023.

Naija News gathered that world champion, Tobi Amusan, and world silver medalist Ese Brume, are among the athletes who were seen at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City on Tuesday training ahead of the trials.

Apart from Amusan and Brume, the 2021 World Athletics Under-20 Champion, Udodi Onwuzurike is among the 16 Nigerian foreign-based athletes currently in Benin for the trials as of Tuesday.

Their presence at the stadium pushed several fans to storm the stadium to have a glimpse of the athletes despite the heavy rainfall.

The national trials which will end on July 7 was organized to select athletes that will be part of Nigeria’s representatives at the 19th World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary from 19 August 2023 to 27 August 2023.

Recall that Amusan won the women’s 100-meter hurdles event in Sweden’s Diamond League on Sunday night. She flew to Benin City on Tuesday and touchdown around 11 a.m. However, she couldn’t enter the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium as scheduled due to the heavy rainfall.

Around four o’clock, the participants started to show up at the track and field area of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, to the cheers of hundreds of spectators.

The national trials at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium will feature more than 160 athletes, some of whom are based in the country. But as expected, most of the foreign-based athletes especially the trending ones are expected to be selected at the end of the trials.