Nigeria qualifies for Beijing 2008 rowing event

Niyi Alebiosu, Lagos - 28.02.2008

Nigeria has qualified to participate in the Canoe-Kayak Rowing event at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games holding later in the year.

Femi Ajao, the Secretary-General, Rowing and Yatching Federation of Nigeria, told Tribunesports that United Kingdom-based Nigerian, Jonathan Akinyemi picked the ticket for the country at the Olympics qualifier held in Sagama, Kenya, in December 2007.

Ajao also informed that the University of Birmingham student, with financial support from his father, came behind Togo, South Africa and the host Kenya to become the first Nigerian athlete to pick a Beijing 2008 Olympic ticket.

Ajao, who could not hide his happiness, expressed gratitude to the father of the athlete for sponsoring the young Jonathan to the trials in Kenya despite the political crisis in the East African country and assured that the athlete would make the country proud in China during the Olympic Games proper in August this year.