The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has postponed the start of the 2026 Commonwealth Games national trials by one day following travel disruptions affecting several Nigerian athletes based in the United States.
The federation said the decision was taken to give the affected athletes an opportunity to arrive in Nigeria and participate in the trials, which will determine the country’s representatives for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
The national trials, initially scheduled to hold from Saturday, June 20 to Monday, June 22, at the Yaba College of Technology Sports Complex in Lagos, will now take place from Sunday, June 21 to Tuesday, June 23, at the same venue.
The announcement was made on Saturday by the Head of the AFN Media Committee, Maxwell Kumoye, just hours before the competition was due to begin.
According to a statement obtained by our correspondent, the decision followed an emergency meeting of the AFN board chaired by the federation’s president, Chief Tonobok Okowa, in Lagos.
The federation explained that severe weather conditions in parts of the United States had disrupted the travel plans of several Nigerian athletes expected to participate in the trials.
Heavy rainfall, violent storms and flash flooding reportedly led to widespread flight cancellations in major transit locations, including Atlanta, Georgia, Montgomery and other parts of Alabama.
As a result, a number of athletes could not travel to Nigeria as originally planned.
The AFN said many of the affected athletes had appealed to the federation to grant them additional time to arrive and compete in what remains one of the most important events on Nigeria’s athletics calendar.
“Many of the affected athletes had appealed to the federation for additional time to enable them to arrive in Nigeria and compete in the crucial trials, which will help determine selection for the 2026 Commonwealth Games,” the statement said.
Following deliberations, the board agreed to shift the event by one day.
The federation described the decision as one taken in the interest of fairness and inclusiveness, ensuring that athletes whose travel plans were disrupted by circumstances beyond their control would not lose the opportunity to fight for places on Team Nigeria.
It also noted that the affected athletes remained committed to representing the country and were making every effort to arrive before the commencement of the competition.
“The federation appealed for understanding from athletes who have already arrived in Lagos, urging them to bear with the situation while wishing their colleagues safe travels,” the statement added.
The decision has been welcomed by many athletics followers, who believe that national selection competitions should allow the country’s best athletes to compete under equal conditions.
Nigeria has a large number of elite athletes studying, training and competing in the United States, where they benefit from advanced facilities and regular exposure to high-level competitions.
Many of these athletes have gone on to represent the country at major international events, including the Olympic Games, World Championships, African Championships and the Commonwealth Games.
The revised timetable means the opening day of the trials will now begin on Sunday with a busy schedule of track and field events.
Competition will start with the women’s 5,000 metres final and the men’s discus final.
Attention will then shift to the opening heats of the men’s and women’s 100 metres, events expected to attract significant interest from spectators eager to watch Nigeria’s fastest runners battle for qualification.
The men’s high jump final and the opening heats of the men’s and women’s 400 metres are also scheduled for the morning session.
The afternoon program on Sunday promises more excitement, featuring the women’s long jump and women’s shot-put finals.
The men’s and women’s 800 metres finals will also take centre stage, while the women’s 100 metres heats, men’s triple jump final and men’s 5,000 metres final complete the day’s activities.
Day two of the trials, scheduled for Monday, June 22, will see race walkers compete in the men’s and women’s 10,000 metres events.
Field event athletes will also battle for honours in the women’s javelin, women’s triple jump and the men’s and women’s hammer throw finals.
Track events on the second day include the heats of the men’s and women’s 400 metres hurdles.
The afternoon session is expected to produce some of the most exciting moments of the championships as athletes contest the semi-finals of the men’s and women’s 100 metres and 400 metres.
The day will conclude with the finals of the men’s and women’s 100 metres, traditionally among the biggest attractions at any athletics competition.
The final day of the trials on Tuesday, June 23, opens with heats in the men’s 110 metres hurdles, women’s 100 metres hurdles and the men’s and women’s 200 metres.
The concluding afternoon session is expected to provide a thrilling finish to the championships.
Athletes will compete in the finals of the men’s and women’s 400 metres hurdles, men’s javelin, women’s high jump, men’s and women’s 1,500 metres, women’s discus and the men’s and women’s 400 metres.
The competition will end with the finals of the men’s and women’s sprint hurdles and the highly anticipated 200 metres races, where athletes will make one last push to secure qualification for the Commonwealth Games.
The national trials remain one of the most important stages in Nigeria’s athletics programme, serving as the gateway to international competitions.
The Commonwealth Games, scheduled to take place in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2, 2026, will bring together athletes from countries within the Commonwealth in one of the world’s biggest multi-sport events.
Nigeria has traditionally performed strongly in athletics at the Games, winning medals in sprinting, jumping and field events over the years.
With places on Team Nigeria at stake, this year’s trials are expected to attract some of the country’s finest athletes, all determined to earn the right to wear the green and white on one of international sport’s biggest stages.
Despite the last-minute adjustment to the schedule, expectations remain high that the competition will produce outstanding performances and help Nigeria assemble a strong team capable of challenging for honours in Glasgow.