Future athletes from 100 schools have started competing in a five-day athletics event in various categories at the main bowl of the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Delta State.
They are competing in a tournament for under 14 and 17 boys and girls tagged ‘Making Of Champions, MTN Champs Season Two’.
The President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria, (AFN), Tonobok Okowa, at a news conference in Asaba, described the event as key to the forthcoming African Games and the Olympics, saying it would be a build up for the continental and global events.
While advising athletes to be careful not to sustain injuries, he envisaged more surprises just as organisers said adequate arrangements have been made for the smooth take off of the sports fiesta.
“We know that the African Games is coming up and by the grace of God, we are going to have our trials and we are doing it in collaboration with sponsors. Athletes representing the country would make the nation proud.
“Of course, we have a lot of foreign based athletes that will not be able to make it but there are some at home that are very good as the foreign based. We shall select those that will be in camps for the African championship to represent us in Ghana and the Olympics.”
The Country Director of the Making of Champions, (MOC), Brian Anigbo, said the project since its inception had done a lot for the country through collaboration with relevant partners especially in area of athletics.
“In athletics, it’s been a very pivotal moment for us in Making of Champions. I think MTN, as a brand, has stood behind sports in Nigeria, and it is doing great things in athletics in partnership with the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF), and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, (AFN).
“Season One saw 7000 athletes across 400 schools participate in five locations, and Season Two promises to be even much bigger,” he stated.
Senior Manager, Brands, Media and Sponsorship, MTN Nigeria, Mr Friday Okuwe, said the choice of Delta State as the host venue for the second edition of MOC was informed by the success story of the state in sports in the country.
“You will see athletes between the ages of 14 and 21 coming to compete in series of track and field events.
“We have designed this to discover home grown athletes and also support them with all the necessary training and exposure that they need to excel both in athletics and academics,” Okuwe added.
Delta State Commissioner for Youths Development, Isaac Agbateyimiro, said the state was ready to host the events.
The representative of the Nigeria School Sports Federation and Delta State Coordinator of the Federation, Mrs Justina Ishaka, expressed delight at the platform provided for school children to display their talents, saying that a good number of public and private schools had been encouraged to register for the events.
Tournament for teen athletes takes off in Delta
