2017 Para-powerlifting National Open Trial to hold in Ibadan

By Akeem Lawal

The 2017 Para-powerlifting National Open Trial will hold in Ibadan from 8th to 12th March, 2017, SportingLife has been informed.

Technical Director of the Nigeria Para-Powerlifting Federation (NPPF), Ekeoma Onwukwe Samuel said the trial would be used to select athletes that will represent the country at the World Cup in Mexico and the World Championship.

"Our federation is trying to organise a national trial so that we can select our athletes that can serve Nigeria for the whole one year. So the letters have gone to different states so that they can sponsor their athletes to Ibadan. We have a time limit for states to put in their entry and from first of March the states must have concluded their entries.

"It is an open trial and anybody can come. If any new athlete comes and defeated an old athlete, definitely such new athlete will replace the old one. You know in the whole world respect Nigeria when it comes to para-powerlifting. So we add much value when it comes to selection of athletes, we don't jeopardize, and we don't do favouritism. If any top athlete has been relaxing and a new one came up and defeats such person, after much satisfaction and the person is cleared, automatically he replaces the category.

“We would be going for the World Cup and the World Championship this year. The World Cup would be by May in Mexico and that is the major target now. Our concentration is on the World Cup and when the time for the World Championship comes we would let people informed,” Ekeoma told SportingLife.