The Athletics Federation of Nigeria has fixed June 20 to 22 for the national trials ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, while also releasing qualification standards for athletes ahead of the event, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Home-based and foreign-based athletes are expected to converge on the Yaba College of Technology Sports Complex in Lagos, bringing together some of the nation’s finest athletes ahead of the Commonwealth Games, which will be held from July 23 to August 2, 2026.
The three-day event will feature 32 track and field events for both men and women, with participation in the men’s and women’s 100m, 200m and 400m restricted to athletes who have achieved the prescribed qualifying standards between April and June 2026, while all other track and field events will remain open for participation.
For athletes based in Nigeria, the qualifying standard for the men’s 100m is 10.60s, while the women’s 100m entry standard is set at 11.55s. The 200m standard for men is 21.85s, while the women’s event is pegged at 23.75s. The qualifying marks for the men’s and women’s 400m are 48.50s and 54.50s respectively.
For athletes based abroad, the men’s 100m qualifying standard is 10.05s, while the women’s benchmark is 11.17s. The 200m standard is set at 20.48s for men and 22.60s for women, while the qualifying marks for the men’s and women’s 400m are 45.50s and 51.30s respectively.
“The federation believes the arrangement will ensure that only athletes in top form contest the sprint events while maintaining broad participation across other disciplines,” the AFN said in a statement.
“To further support athletes in their quest for qualification, the federation announced that accommodation will be provided for athletes who have attained the required standards during the qualification period. The list of athletes who have met the stipulated benchmarks is expected to be released in the coming days.”
AFN President, Tonobok Okowa, also hailed the leadership of the National Sports Commission for its continued support of the federation and Nigerian athletes, noting that the backing received has contributed significantly to ongoing efforts aimed at strengthening athletics development and improving elite athlete performance.
