Athletics: MTN Champs Grand Finale Sets Abuja Agog

Olawale Ajimotokan  in Abuja

The stage is set for the grand finale of this year’s MTN Champs at MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, with 42 athletes billed to participate in a three-day track fiesta, starting  December 1. 

The event, which started few months ago had been staged in Ibadan, Benin and Uyo with over 7,000 athletes showcasing their innate talents.

The final chosen one, according to the Founder and Making of Champs, Bambo Akani will be picked for scholarship and Academy programme by January 2024.

 “The journey started 10 years ago.  We saw a gap in the AFN and the need to fill the vacuum. We went to Jamaica to learn. The programme is to develop talents and turn them to champions. Most of the athletes we discovered have gone on to represent Nigeria in several international meets like Emmanuel Ojeme,”Akani said.

The MTN Champs will be the first competitions in Nigeria to utilize the world class Roster Athletics app, to ensure that all athletics results and School/Team scoring to decide the titles in each city cannot be compromised.

Also speaking at the conference, the Chief Marketing Officer, MTN, Adia Sowho, said MTN was excited in sponsoring the programme aimed at unearthing and fostering athletic talent development across the country.

“MTN is committed to Nigeria’s young people and provide them with the platform and technology that they need to take to the world,” Sowho said.

The Secretary General Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Rita Mosindi showered plaudits on the organizer of the event for the laudable effort in

“It is a long journey. We had issues with age-cheats and doping in the past, very rampant. But as of today, we are having only one case of doping on our hand.

“I’m appealing to all our athletes to take Anti-Doping lessons. Most of the coaches are kill-joy and are the ones encouraging the athletes to spice their system with substance,” Mosindi said.