Former Nigerian sprinter and Athens 2004 Olympics bronze medalist, Deji Aliu has expressed confidence in the quality of Nigerian athletes as they prepare for the upcoming Paris Olympic Games.

Aliu, in a chat with Brila.net, commended the efforts of the sports ministry and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) for their comprehensive preparations, which include participation in various competitions and an upcoming training tour in Europe.

“So far, everything is looking ready. The administrators are getting set, and they will be going for a training tour which is very encouraging,” Aliu stated.

He praised the federation’s efforts, highlighting their dedication to preparing athletes for major events, including recent competitions like the African Games and the African Championships, which served as essential preparation for the Olympics.

“On the part of the federation so far, they’ve been trying. They’ve been really doing a lot, you know, in terms of preparing the athletes for the big events ahead from the African Games that we recently concluded African Championship.”

“Those are competition to fine tune the athletes in readiness for the big occasion. So I think everything is looking good. All I just think is all I feel is you know we should get more commitment from the athletes.”

Aliu also emphasized the importance of athlete commitment, urging them to bring their best performance to the Olympics.

“The athletes should understand that the Olympics is the biggest stage. They should bring their A game and once that is done I think everybody will be glad at the end of the day.”