Lagos Unveils Athletics' Timing Device, Hosts World Championships Qualifiers

As part of its efforts to acquaint its athletes with global standard, the Lagos State Government through the ministry of youth, sports and social development on Tuesday unveiled the latest track and field timing device.

According to the Commissioner for Youth, Sports And Social Development, Wahid Oshodi, the equipment would indeed help the state to acquaint its athletes with what obtains globally.

“It is very important that we get our athletes acquaint with the latest in track and field and for us in Lagos, this device will help to ascertain the performance level of our athletes compare to what obtains at global level. 

We are very pleased with the enormous support we are getting from His Excellency, Governor Babatunde Fashola, at ensuring that our athletes are at par with their foreign counterpart. This is a state-of-the-art facility that is used all over the world,” Oshodi said.

                                
Oshodi, who regarded the facility state-of-the-art facility used all over the world, said he was pleased with the enormous his ministry is getting from Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola at ensuring that the state athletes are at par with their foreign counterpart

Chairman, Lagos State Athletics Association, Tunde Makanjuola,said the facility would indeed reduce human errors and also enable them to have accurate timing for their athletes, adding that the gesture would it help them to assess the performance of their athletes in line with obtains at global level.
  
“With this equipment, we are going to rely on hand timing as we will now have accurate timing for all our athletes. This will also help us to assess the performance of our athletes in line with what obtains at global level as it will tell us automatically the result without any error,” he said.

Makanjuola added that it would also reduce the number of officials require to officiate at any event, while it would help the association to safe money, which is expected to be spent on officials.
 
Meanwhile, athletes within and outside the country that are still hoping to make it to the 2013 IAAF World Championships holding in Russian next month will burn the track on Thursday at the Lagos Open Championship/ Eko Grand Prix.
 
The two-day tournament is being organised by the Lagos State Athletics Association will hold at the University of Lagos Sports Complex with athletes expected from Ghana and other neighbouring countries.