By Andrew Abah, Abuja
The CEO/Founder Making of Champions (MoC) Bambo Akanji has revealed that MTN CHAMPS the title sponsor is pleased with the success of new Schools’ Athletics Championships across Nigeria aimed at at transforming School Sports nationwide by holding 4 Athletics Championships across the nation – one each in Southern, Eastern, Western and Northern Nigeria
Akanji who made this know at a press parley, said from October to November MTN CHAMPS has hosted over 7,000 Athletes with 500 Schools across the 4 Events, with each being 3-day Championships, in Benin, Uyo, Ibadan and now Abuja for the Grand Final by bringing together the best Athletes discovered from all 4 Champs!
“MoC has also partnered with Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF) as the Official Schools’ Partner of MTN CHAMPS, to ensure the widespread access and participation of schools and their students across all 4 host cities of MTN CHAMPS.
“In addition, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) is joining as Official Technical Partner, to ensure that all races are electronically timed and all results are ratified for global recognition by World Athletics.
“Furthermore, SuperSport has joined as the Official Broadcast Partners, to ensure that Nigerians everywhere can watch the best action from across all 4 locations!
“Continuing, Akanji said the ultimate goal of MTN CHAMPS is to re-ignite grassroot Athletics talent search across Nigeria to discover and develop the Athletes that will deliver global medals and become future sporting legends for the nation.
“To this end, the Grand Prize of Season 1 will be full 1-year Sponsorships for 10 Athletes discovered at MTN CHAMPS to join MoC Athletics Academy in Lagos, which MTN is supporting as Lead Sponsor in 2024, to enable the best talents discovered earn College or High School Scholarships in US or Jamaica, and to train for a chance to one day represent Nigeria at future global competitions”
He further stated that will mark a historic moment in Nigerian sports for a number of reasons –” it will be the first series of Athletics Championships, School or otherwise, of this scale in Nigeria’s history. It will be the first Athletics Competition since MoC’s Top Sprinter Champs in 2016 to include 3 age groups, with the Cadet (U14) & Youth (U17) category strictly open to Junior & Senior Secondary Schools respectively to contest the 7 School Titles available in each city, while the Juniors (U20) is open to all other teenagers, who may also compete in Teams (e.g. Club, State, School, Uni, etc) for each city’s Junior Team Title!
