National Athletics Development Centre in Ondo State has named Tobias Igwe (Toblow) as head coach of the project which is being delivered in conjunction with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
Ondo State government last weekend signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigeria Sports Development Funds Incorporated (NSDFI) and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria to establish the first of six National Athletics Development Centre in the country.
Toblow has now been mandated to train future athletes for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Coach Toblow was born 7th June 1953 and a former 800m, 1500m and 3,000 steeplechase champion as an athlete.
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As a coach, Toblow had his NIS grades III (1980), Grade II (1986), Olympic solidarity course (1986), IAAF level 1 course (1993) and advanced athletic coaching course in sprints and throws (1985).
Some of his coaching successes include the 1st World junior championships in Athens in 1986 with 2 gold, I silver and I bronze; Commonwealth Games in Auckland (1990), Barcelona Olympics (1992) where his women 4x100m won Nigeria’s first Olympic medal and the 4x100m won silver.
In Athens 20014 he piloted the bronze medal in 4x400m. He coached at the Commonwealth Games in 2002, 2010.
Some of the star athletes coached by Toblow includes Chief Mary Onyali, Osmaond and Davidson Ezinwa, Tony Osheku, Philip George, Yusuf Alli, Henry Amike, Sunday Uti, Tina Iheagwam, Clement Chukwu, Beatrice Utondu, Emma Okoli, Michael Egbeaso, Henrietta Ajaegbu, Eugene Ifediora and Uche Emedolu amongst others.
