Secretary of the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, NWF, Uche Onwumeh, has said that the federation is currently preparing the country’s lifters for the African Weightlifting Championship in Nairobi, Kenya.

The championship, billed to hold from 28 March to 2 April, will be used as the qualifying competition for the 2012 London Olympics slated for July.

The NWF scribe said that the highest priority of the federation at the moment is the preparation of the lifters for the African tourney.

“The lifters are presently in Owerri, Imo State, preparing for the African Weightlifting Championship, which will also be the qualifying competition for the London Olympics holding in July,” said Onwumeh.

Onwumeh hinted that the federation will be able to finalise the travelling arrangements of Team Nigeria to the tourney as soon as it gets adequate funds from the appropriate quarters.

“The fact is that we cannot make much progress unless there are sufficient funds. But we intend to take our passports to the embassy as soon as we get enough funds,” Onwumeh said.

—Bimbo Ajayi