MTN Champs track & field athletics begins in Calabar

The MTN Season 2 track and field Athletics Championship will kick off this morning at the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar.

According to the organisers, over 8,000 young people have registered for the tournament, with the city of Calabar alone contributing 2,300 participants for the 4-day event.

400 schools in the state are said to have registered for the tournament.

This was disclosed Monday during a press briefing by the chief marketing officer of the telecom firm,  Adia Sohwo in Calabar.

• Ganduje probe: Kano commission to review sales, allocation of govt property
• Alleged terrorists’ negotiator, Mamu, seeks transfer from DSS custody

She said that the tournament is a school-based athletic event aimed at discovering new and younger talents to represent Nigeria at future global sporting tournaments like the Olympics.

Soho also said that the Calabar tournament which is the grand finale is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of young athletes at similar events previously held at Benin, Uyo, Ibadan, and Abuja.

“70 athletes selected from the previous four locations will participate in the Calabar Grand Finale as Team MVP. The top 12 athletes from Season 2 will join Team MTN at the MoC Athletics Academy by September 2024, bringing the total number of Team MTN Athletes to 24.”

She disclosed that the tournament is to develop a future where Nigerian athletes are consistently on the podium at major international competitions, and to inspire a new generation of young people to pursue their dreams.

“ This programme is paving the way for that future.  It is nurturing talents and providing the support they need to reach their full potential,” she said.