UNN's Onyia sweeps NUGA long distance medals


UNIVERSITY of Nigeria Nsukka athletics team at the Nigeria University Games ongoing in University of Lagos has recorded an unprecedented feat after Kingsley Chinecherem Onyia won three gold medals in the long-distance races.

This would be the first time an athlete from the UNN is winning the 10,000m, 5,000m and 3,000m in the history of the Games and according to coach Tony Tunde Ogbu, the feat is the beginning of good things to come for Nigerian athletics in general.

Onyia who was making his debut in the Games won the 10,000m on the opening day of the athletics events with a time of 3.08.51secs and was hardly troubled in the home stretch his closest challenger was Ebenezer Temple of Federal 36.16.64secs. Onyia returned to claim the 5,000m with 16.16.66secs and yesterday he completed his hat-trick with the 3,000m title.

"The amazing thing is that he is a bonafide student of UNN and not a mercenary.

"It is the first time someone from the South East zone would be achieving this and so we are going to build upon Onyia's success at NUGA and make him a national and international athlete.

"I just hope that the Athletics Federation of Nigeria and all Nigerian sports authorities pay more attention to the long-distance races, because we have solid potential here." stated Ogbu, a former national athlete who has participated in Africa and World University Games. He is also coach to several athletes including Henry Okorie. 

Culled from Vanguard

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