Abunda turns to Africa Games for Olympics berth

After seeing his Olympic Games qualifying chances take a hit following the government’s decision to halt all sport and training activities owing to the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, national hammer-throwing champion Dominic Abunda has turned to this year’s African Games Championships slated for June 1 in  Algiers Algeria to keep his dream alive.

Abunda says he is keen to use the championships to make an impression by making the cut for the quadrennial games slated for Tokyo Japan between 23 Jul and 8 Aug 2021. The Games were postponed for a year following the unprecedented outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

After staging a brilliant start to 2021, he has however had to make do with the unavailability of personal trainers with many of them electing to keep off training facilities; a phenomenon he says has derailed his preparations a great deal.

“We started the year well because since the last quarter of last year we were preparing for the Africa Championships.

“However, we have been training individually since the government shut down all sports across the country.

“Those that were selected to participate in relays are lucky because they have the luxury of accessing their professional trainers.”

He says that the fact that he has not taken part in any form of competition with barely two months to the Olympic Games leaves the African Championships as his last ticket to realize his dream.

“I know it will be difficult but I’m ready to give my all to qualify for the Olympic Games. I understand it is the only competition that will propel me there and I am ready to give it my best shot.”

Abunda has in the meantime urged the government to approve sports resumption so that athletes can have the best preparations for the Games.

“With this lockdown many athletes will find it hard to compete in the Games as our competitors are preparing well,” he reckoned.