The enthusiasm among students is palpable as the second season of the Lagos State Athletics Association (LSAA)-sanctioned tournament, The Athletics School Games (TASG), kicks off in Lagos on Saturday, March 22. Athletes will compete fiercely for glory and prizes for their respective schools.
From the initial 11 schools that participated in the inaugural one-day meet, the number has grown to 16 schools within Lagos for Season 2, which will be held at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH).
Considered one of the most vibrant inter-school athletics tournaments in Lagos, all eyes are on the defending champions, Grange, who are determined to retain their title, while other teams are eager to dethrone them this year.
Athletes will compete for laurels in both elementary and secondary school categories during this one-day athletics meet. To meet global standards, the organizers have registered the tournament with World Athletics (WA) to ensure that the times recorded by the athletes are recognized by the world body.
According to Funmi Otegbeye, Technical Director of LSAA, the involvement of WA will help upload the timing of specific events on the WA website for future reference. “We are set for the event because we want to improve on what we did in 2024. All is ready as technical officials are prepared, and all necessary logistics to ensure timely results transmission have been put in place. We look forward to an exciting event this year, especially with more schools identifying with TASG,” she said.
Seun Akinbohun, the event’s initiator, emphasized that the event aims to create opportunities for athletes to excel and be discovered by scouts, just as in the inaugural edition. “There are so many opportunities for kids in TASG, and I’m glad we are contributing to their development. The first edition featured eleven schools—four primary and seven secondary. For the second edition, the number has increased to sixteen schools, with eight primary and eight secondary schools confirmed.
“We’ve expanded the event to include more kids, age categories, and flexibility. I’m excited to bring the experience from the first edition into the second, with a larger technical committee and more experienced personnel.”
Akinbohun added, “We hope to expand and include public schools in the future. It’s a work in progress, but we aim to bring public and private schools together for friendly competitions. We look forward to more support from the government and potential collaborations.”