PATRICK ABANG Calabar –
Organiser of the MTN Track and Field Athletics Championship has said more Patience Okon and Tobi Amusun will be produced at the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar.
The MTN Season 2 track and field Athletics Championship would kick off this morning at the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar.
According to them, 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 during a press briefing by the chief marketing officer of the telecom firm, Adia Sohwo in Calabar.
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.
Athletes drawn from the six geopolitical zones to participate in the forthcoming MTN champs Season two tournament scheduled to take place in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
She stated that out of this total number, about 2,300 came from Calabar alone, stressing that the city holds a special place in the history of athletics.
“That athletes from the host city are fully prepared to showcase their culmination of months of hard work, dedication, and sacrifice”
Adia noted that seventy athletes selected from the previous four locations will participate in the Calabar Grand Finale as Team MVP, sponsored by MTN.
The MTN chief marketing officer maintained that the grand finale is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the athletes, coaches, and organisers as well as a chance to recognise the countless hours of training, moments of triumph, and bonds forged through a shared love of athletics.
Cross River State Commissioner for Sports Development, Agnes Atsu, assured the communication giant that the state will provide the best facilities in the track and field events and a conducive environment.
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