Nesiama hails Team Nigeria's Commonwealth Games showing, urges better future planning
Retired Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, former Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), has praised Team Nigeria's athletics contingent for its impressive performances at the ongoing 23rd Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, describing the outing as an encouraging sign for the future of the nation's athletics programme.
Nesiama, Nigeria's most senior World Athletics technical official, said the team's displays have surpassed several pre-Games expectations, with a number of athletes delivering standout performances that defied predictions.
"So far, so good," Nesiama said while reviewing Nigeria's campaign. "Predictions may not always be completely accurate, but we have seen some pleasant surprises."
The experienced athletics administrator, who served as a technical official at this year's World Relays Championships in Gaborone, Botswana, and the CAA Senior Athletics Championships in Ghana, highlighted the emergence of Nigeria's male athletes as one of the biggest positives of the Games.
According to him, the performances of the men's team have opened a new chapter of optimism for Nigerian athletics.
"One significant development is that we are now beginning to have high expectations from the men as well," he said.
Nesiama also commended the unity and strong team spirit displayed by the Nigerian contingent, noting that the camaraderie among athletes and officials has played a vital role in the team's encouraging results.
"Kudos to every member of the team for the camaraderie that has defined this campaign," he added.
Looking beyond the Games, the retired senior military intelligence officer stressed the importance of improving Nigeria's preparation for future international competitions. He urged athletics administrators to begin planning much earlier and ensure that strategies are effectively implemented throughout major championships.
"We can only ask for continuous improvement in fine-tuning our preparation strategies well ahead of major Games," Nesiama said.
"There must also be proper management during the competition to ensure that those plans are executed to the letter. Once that is done, whatever the outcome, it reflects the team's true potential."
His remarks come as Team Nigeria continues to produce encouraging performances in Glasgow, reinforcing hopes that sustained planning, sound technical management and improved preparation will further enhance the country's competitiveness on the global athletics stage.
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