The ancient city of Benin is set to buzz with excitement as the MTN CHAMPS Athletics Classics kick off Season 3 of Nigeria’s largest Secondary School Athletics Championships. The event will take place simultaneously at two locations: the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium and the UNIBEN Sports Complex, from Thursday, March 13 to Saturday, March 15.
At a press conference held in Benin, Edo State, on Wednesday, March 12, organizers expressed their readiness to stage the event, which has received 4,371 entries from 2,056 athletes.
Osaze Ebueku, Senior Manager of Go to Marketing at MTN Nigeria, emphasized MTN’s commitment to discovering world-class athletes for Nigeria. He stated, “Athletics for us is not just an activity; it’s a way of giving back to the community, especially in Edo State, renowned for its rich sports history dating back to its days as Bendel State. MTN is dedicated to identifying and nurturing talent, helping them reach their full potential. We are thrilled to be in Edo and to continue this dream. We aim to develop world champions and believe that together, we can make this dream a reality.”
Amadin Enabulele, Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, highlighted the support of the Executive Governor of Edo State for grassroots sports. He noted, “His Excellency believes in grassroots sports development, and this aligns with MTN’s efforts. Many athletes will receive scholarships abroad, and we are grateful to the Governor for creating an enabling environment for this event.”
Bambo Akani, Founder of MoC, expressed his excitement over the increased number of registrations in Edo State, which doubled the figures from Season 1. He said, “We began this journey in Benin, and I’m thrilled to be back. In Season 1, we had about 1,000 athletes registered at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium. This season, within five days, we had to close registration with 2,000 registrants. This led us to use two locations in Benin for the first time to accommodate all athletes.”
Three athletes from the MoC Athletics Academy in Lagos, discovered during Season 1 in Benin, are ready to compete: Jane Onyeneho, Showers Ushie, and Prosper Ushie.
The second leg of MTN CHAMPS, the Lagos Continental Relays, will take place from April 9 to 12, while the Grand Final will be held in Uyo from April 30 to May 3.