By Anne Azuka
Organisers of a five- day athletics events, tagged ‘’Making Of Champions, MTN Champs Season Two’’ for Secondary Schools at the main bowl of the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba has said that adequate arrangements have been made for the smooth take off of the sports fiesta.
According to the organisers, over a thousand athletes from one hundred schools in various categories, will be competing in
At a news conference in Asaba, the President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Tonobok Okowa 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.
According to him, We know that the African Games is coming up, and by the grace of God, we are going to have our national trials for the athletes that will be going to the African Games.
“And we are doing it in collaboration with sponsors. We hope that our home based athletes that will be here, we see what they can do.
“Of course, we have a lot of foreign based athletes that will not be able to make it. But those at home that are as very good as the foreign based, will be competing, for us to select those that will be in camps for the African Championship that will represent us in Ghana.
“And will also help us to prepare for the Olympics…..We advise our athletes to be careful, not to sustain injuries. We hope to see more surprises”, AFN President stressed.
While commending the sponsors of the Making of Champions, Okowa gave an assurance that athletes representing the country would make the nation proud.
The Representative of the Nigeria School Sports Federation, and Delta State Coordinator of the Federation, Mrs Justina Ishaka expressed delight for the platform provided for school children to display their talents.
Mrs Ishaka said that a good number of public and private schools had been encouraged to register for the events.
She highlighted the events to include one hundred metres, two hundred metres, four hundred metres, high jump, long jump, and relay for Under Fourteen and Under Seventeen boys and girls.
Earlier, the Delta State Commissioner for Youths Development, Mr. Isaac Agbateyimiro, said the state was ready to provide a befitting hosting for the Making of Champions athletics events, emphasizing that the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori is committed to promoting sports.
He said that Delta, richly endowed with raw talents would continue to contribute significantly to sports development in the country.
The Country Director of the Making of Champions, Mr. 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 being 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, and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria.
“Season One saw seven thousand athletes came to participate across four hundred schools 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 Making of Champions was informed by the talents abound in the state, and the success story of the state in sports in the country.
Mr. Okuwe said the event, Secondary Schools Athletics competition is a national development intervention designed to unearth future Olympics champions for the country, and stand a great chance to win scholarship, and be trained in the best schools abroad.
“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.
“So, MTN sponsorship of this event is actually in line, and it is consistent with our brand story, and history of supporting local talents in different areas, and helping them to fulfill their global aspiration.
“You will see athletes between the ages of fourteen and twenty-one coming to compete in series of track and field events across four regional competitions that will happen here in Asaba, Kaduna, Ibadan and Port Harcourt, to qualify for the grand finals.
