Henry Amike Commends Niger Delta Games, Highlights Areas for Improvement
A former Nigeria international and one-time national record holder in the 400m hurdles, Henry Amike has described the ongoing Niger Delta Games as “fascinating,” applauding the initiative while urging organisers to fine-tune certain technical aspects to meet global best practices.
The athletics legend praised the decision to stage the competition exclusively for Under-20 athletes, noting that it represents a significant step toward genuine talent discovery and youth development in the region. According to him, unlike the maiden edition which was largely open and featured overaged athletes, the current format has successfully ensured that participants fall within the 16 to 20-year age bracket.
“I must commend the organisers for putting up a competition for Under-20 athletes in the Niger Delta region. The standard so far to me is acceptable,” Amike said to NDG Media.
He rated the overall technical standard above 70 percent but identified areas that require urgent attention, particularly in race management.
Amike expressed concern over delays at the starting area, stating that athletes are being kept too long before their races.
“In an event such as this, the athletes should not come out 30 or 15 minutes before their race. It should be as they are coming in, the starters and umpires are ready and the finishing judges are also ready. The athletes are not supposed to be waiting before the race is started,” he explained. He also pointed out repeated failures of the starting gun, urging organisers to address the issue in line with international standards.
Despite these challenges, the former hurdler said he was impressed by the depth of talent on display. From his observations, he identified promising prospects in the men’s 100m, men’s 200m, men’s 400m hurdles, and women’s 800m events among others. He expressed confidence that many of the young athletes could go far if properly nurtured after the Games.
“These athletes will go places if well nurtured,” he said, stressing that exposure through competitions is vital to development. He noted that consistent competitive opportunities prevent training efforts from going to waste and allow young talents to be properly discovered and groomed.
Amike further commended the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and its partner, Dunamis Icon, for driving the initiative. He urged other organisations across Nigeria to emulate the model in order to broaden the talent pool nationwide.
“I want to appreciate Dunamis Icon for putting together this great initiative and presenting it to the NDDC for approval. Big kudos to the management and staff. I pray that we will have more of this type of competition in the years to come,” he concluded.
