The first Nigerian International Athletics Association (NIAA) sponsored secondary schools Athletics Invitational will hold on Saturday, July 13, 2024, at the sports ground of Yaba College of Technology in Yaba, Lagos.
The event, the first to be sponsored by some former Nigeria track and field internationals under the auspices of the NIAA is not just for secondary schools in Lagos but all over Nigeria.
Respected athletics coach, Tony Osheku is the meet director and he told the media at the weekend that the event is not just to identify talents at the grassroot level which the secondary represents, it will also offer opportunities for U20 athletes to qualify for the World U20 Championships in Lima, Peru which starts late August to early September.
‘The schools have always served as the breeding ground for talents and most of Nigeria’s former track and field stars behind the event started out competing in inter-house sports events in Lagos and all over Nigeria.
‘Based on their rise which saw most of them winning medals for their States and the country, they understand that the best way to keep the production line active is to provide competitions at secondary school level,’ said Osheku, who has coached athletes to the final of the World Athletics Championships and the podium at the Olympics.
Osheku also revealed there will be competition in selected events for athletes out of school and who are still U20.
‘We also want to use the event to give opportunities to our U20 athletes who are still seeking qualifications for the World U20 Championships in Lima. The deadline for qualification is August 4 and this event has been registered by World Athletics on its website which means it also serves as a qualifying competition for the World U20 event,” Osheku revealed.
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