President, Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN), Giandomenico Masari, has said it is prepared to host the 2022 Africa Cup Track Cycling Championship scheduled from July 14 – July 17, 2022, at MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
Masari said 20 African countries are expected to compete in the cycling championship. The CFN President assured that the event would meet the desired expectation adding that the federation is making all necessary efforts to ensure the event is devoid of rancour.
“We are ready and set to provide a befitting environment to compete for all participants,” Masari told NAN. “The Federation has made all the necessary preparations and plans to organise a hitchfree championship,” he added.
According to Masari, the maiden edition of the Africa Cycling Championship held in Abuja, July 2019, saw Nigeria scooping the highest number of gold ahead of eight other African countries.
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He stressed that this edition will host a higher number of countries than the previous with the likes of Egypt, South Africa, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Cameroon expected to fully participate.
Sequel to the above, the Republic of Benin, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Italy, Burundi and Burkina Faso, and other African countries have also indicated interest to take part in the event. Masari stated that CFN will organise training for prospective commissaries.
Explicitly, the CFN President said in the 2019 edition, the Nigerian contingent comprising 21 cyclists amassed 51 medals consisting of 21 gold, 18 silver, and 12 bronze to win the championship.
They were followed by Egypt who came second after winning a total of 22 medals made up of eight gold, seven silver and seven bronze medals. Another North African side, Morocco, came third with seven medals made up of four gold and three silver medals.
The Nigeria Cycling Federation mandated all participating countries to wear their registered national kits which conform with the UCI’s apparels regulations.
The Trumpet reports that host country Nigeria competes in the junior and elite levels in both male and female categories, comprising eleven events per category.
