Embarrassing - Athletes run in darkness at Nigerian Trials in Yabatech

The recent Nigerian Championships held at Yabatech ended with athletes running in the dark, creating an embarrassing situation.

The three-day trials, which took place from August 1 - 3, was used to select Nigeria's representatives ahead of the World Championships in Tokyo this September.

With some highs, such as world record holder Tobi Amusan winning her fifth consecutive national title in the women's 100m Hurdles, and rising sprint star Israel Okon blazing to a Nigerian U20 record in the 100m semifinals, before going on to win the final, the championship ended on an embarrassing note.

In the men's 5000m final, the runners had to compete in the dark at around 7:30 PM, as the stadium lights were off. The few remaining spectators switched on their phone flashlights to provide some light on the track.

The poor conditions the athletes faced highlight the troubling state of sports in the country and the shortcomings of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).

It remains to be confirmed if the men's 5000m results will be registered by World Athletics, considering the unfavourable conditions the athletes ran.