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MTN Champs season 4 sets stage for sustained Olympic push to 2028

 


By Joseph Abasi-Abasi 

Season 4 of MTN Champs has officially begun in Calabar, with organizers declaring the championship a critical launchpad for Nigeria’s sustained Olympic preparation through 2028.

Backed by MTN Nigeria and technical partners Making of Champions (MOC), the youth athletics championship is now positioned not just as a schools’ competition, but as a structured pipeline to develop athletes for major international competitions over the next Olympic cycle.

MTN recently extended its partnership with Making of Champions through 2028, guaranteeing Seasons 4, 5 and 6 of the championship. Stakeholders say the move provides stability and long-term planning for cadet, youth, junior and senior athletes as Nigeria builds towards the next Olympic Games.

Speaking at the Season 4 launch in Calabar, MTN’s Chief Marketing Officer, Onyinye Ikenna Emeka, said the company remains committed to creating platforms that allow young Nigerians to compete locally and internationally.

Since its inception in 2023, MTN Champs has engaged over 22,000 athletes from more than 1,300 schools and staged 11 competitions across eight cities. The Calabar event marks the 12th competition under the championship umbrella.

According to MOC representative Yemi Galadima, about 80 per cent of Nigeria’s team to last year’s African Under-20 Championships had previously competed at MTN Champs, underlining its growing influence in national team selection.

He added that 30 Most Valuable Performers enrolled in the MTN Champs Academy have won 38 medals across the championship circuit, 14 national medals and 10 international medals within one year of structured training. Some have gone on to represent Nigeria at continental competitions, demonstrating the effectiveness of the development model.

Galadima noted that the Calabar meet and the upcoming Continental Relays are crucial as Nigeria seeks to secure qualification spots for the World Relays, with the deadline set for April 5. Ethiopia is also sending athletes to compete, highlighting the competition’s rising continental profile.

Season 4 in Calabar features more than 1,000 athletes from 121 schools competing across four age categories — Under-14, Under-17, Under-20 and Senior — in nearly 100 track and field events.

In a major boost to school participation, MTN unveiled over ₦20 million in prize money. The top four schools will receive ₦2 million, ₦1.5 million, ₦1 million and ₦500,000 respectively. A special attendance category will also reward schools that mobilise the highest number of supporters, with prizes ranging from ₦5 million for first place to ₦500,000 for schools placed sixth to tenth.

Representing the Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF), Pastor Emmanuel Ebong commended MTN and MOC for maintaining discipline and enforcing zero tolerance for age cheating in school sports. He expressed confidence that athletes discovered this season would form part of Nigeria’s contingent for future continental and global competitions.

With a packed international athletics calendar this year and the Olympic horizon in sight, organisers say Season 4 of MTN Champs signals a transition from talent discovery to sustained high-performance preparation, positioning the championship as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s march toward 2028.

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