No fewer than 1017 athletes from 38 primary schools have penciled their names to participate in the maiden Gombe State Athletics Association (GAA) Primary Schools Athletes Championship scheduled for next month.
The competition’s technical adviser Prince Simon Ayuba, disclosed this in a statement sent to media houses, saying over 38 primary schools would participate in the grassroots talents hunt athletics championship.
He said the 1017 athletes comprising 589 boys and 428 girls will compete for medals in 11 events namely, 200m, 100m, 60m, long jump, relays, throws, and others.
According to Ayuba, the athletes will be screen to ascertain their level of fitness before they would be allowed to participate in the competition.
Meanwhile, GAA has already commenced training for schools games masters and technical officials for the championship with a view to prepare them adequately for task.
The financier of the competition and GAA chairman, Ahmed Shuaibu Gara Gombe, maintained that the prevalent ugly events that usually associate with poaching ofathletes from anywhere, meant that his association has no choice than to catch them young within the state.
He assured that plans are already in top gear to put the biggest grassroots athIetics event in history of Gombe State, saying several committees are already working hard towards making the championship a huge success.
