Okon blasts critics over 4X400m relay selection

Gabriel Okon,the head coach of Team Nigeria to the just ended 16th IAAF World Championships in London said most people commenting on the selection of the quartet that ran in the final of the women’s 4x400m final in London are ignorant of what happened in the lead up to the race.
Many critics blamed the coaches for fielding Abike Egbeniyi who arrived London from Nigeria for the competition barely 32 hours to the race and insisted
Emerald Egwin who ran in the semi-finals where the team ran 3:25.40 seconds should have been retained.
Some others also criticised the coaches for running Nigreia’s pre-championships fastest athlete in the pool,Patience Okon George in the first leg,arguing that she should have anchored the team.
‘I can understand the ordinary people on the streets, but not former Nigeria internationals who should have strived to find out why Egwin did not run.The truth is Egwin was not fit to run on the day as she complained of stomach upset among other complaints.The problem started in the semi-finals and she barely warmed up for the race.We decided to gamble on her because there was no alternative.This informed our decision to ask for Abike to come so that we could at least have an alternative if Egwin does not recover on time.