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Retired Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, a former Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), has praised Team Nigeria’s athletics squad for their strong performance at the ongoing 23rd Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, calling the campaign a step forward for the country’s athletics development.
Nesiama, recognized as Nigeria’s most senior World Athletics technical official, said the team’s results so far have surpassed some expectations, with a number of athletes producing standout performances that defied pre-tournament forecasts.
“It is so far, so fair,” Nesiama said, assessing the team’s outing. “Predictions might not come outright correct, but surprises still came out.”
The veteran athletics administrator — who recently served as a technical official at the World Relays Championships in Gaborone, Botswana, and officiated at the CAA Senior Athletics Championships in Ghana — pointed to the rise of Nigeria’s male athletes as one of the Games’ standout developments.
He said the men’s performances have injected fresh confidence into the outlook for Nigerian athletics.
“One thing that is significant is that we are now seeing and coming to have great expectations coming from the men as well,” he said.
Nesiama also commended the sense of unity within the Nigerian contingent, crediting the bond between athletes and officials as a major driver of the team’s strong showing.
“Kudos to all members of the team for the camaraderie that engulfed the team,” he added.
Turning to the future, the retired senior military intelligence officer called for better planning and preparation ahead of major international competitions. He encouraged athletics administrators to start preparations further in advance and to follow through on strategies once competition begins.
“We can only ask for more and more in the aspect of fine-tuning our preparation strategies well ahead of Games,” he said. “Thereafter, there is also the aspect of proper management during the Games to assure the plans are executed to the letter. That done, whatever the outcome becomes what it is.”
Nesiama’s comments come as Team Nigeria continues to turn in encouraging results in Glasgow, fueling hope that stronger planning, sound technical management, and improved preparation will boost the country’s standing on the global athletics stage.
