2022 National Sports Festival Gold medallist, Joseph Oreva-Oghene Edafiadhe said his target is to record a new Personal Best (PB) in the men’s Long Jump event in the 2023 Athletics Season.
The United States- based long jumper current Personal Best is 7.84m jumped at the 2022 Commonwealth Games trials held in Asaba, Delta State.
Edafiadhe told www.aclsports.com that he is looking forward to the Indoor season opener at Texas Tech Corky Classic in the United States on 13th January, 2023.
The former African Youth Champion said, “My main target in the 2023 season is to create a new Personal Best (PB). I won a gold medal at the 2022 National Sports Festival with a jump of 7.70m but I believe the story will be different this year. With my steady progression, I want to pick a medal for Nigeria at the 2023 African Games in Morocco including shattering Yusuf Alli’s 33-year-old 8.27m national record. I am seeing myself not only participating at the Paris 2024 Olympics but envisioning myself on the podium.
“I have begun preparations and my priority is to stay healthy and avoid any career threatening injury; I already had a great build up season. Now, I am just looking forward to my indoor season opener at Texas Tech Corky Classic in the United States on 13th January, 2023. It’s one step before the other for me.
“Asides the 2023 African Games in Ghana, I am looking forward to participating in the World Championship in Hungary. This will boost my chances of becoming an athlete to reckon with in the world.”
The student of West Texas A&M University revealed to www.aclsports.com that combining education and sports has not been easy adding that a lot of sacrifices have been made.
The former 2018 West Africa University Games (WAUG) Champion said, “It’s been God all the way because it has not been easy when you have a major and minor. I always set my eyes on achieving my goals, hence always remembering where I came from; that makes me to be firm, steadfast and determined to accomplish my set goals”.
He said, “Field events athletes face a lot of challenges, from lack of attention/recognition. If we can get support like our track counterparts, we will also make the country proud”.
Medals won by Joseph Oreva-Oghene Edafiadhe include:
Bronze- 2012 National Sports Festival in Lagos
Gold- 2013 African Youth Championship
Silver- 2018 National Sports Festival in Abuja
Gold- 2018 West Africa University Games (WAUG)
Gold- 2019 National Athletics Championship
Gold- 2022 National Athletics Championship in Delta
Gold- 2022 National Sports Festival in Delta State
Personal Best
Indoor – 7.84m
Outdoor – 7.84m
