The 4th edition of the South East Under-16 Track and Field Championship hosted by Abia State has ended in Umuahia with the discovery of new young athletes.
The athletics championship, organised by CLIMM Track and Field Foundation, involved male and female categories for races like 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, and relay. Other events include discus, shot put, long jump, and javelin. States that participated include Anambra, Enugu, Imo, host state Abia and the Nigerian Army Command School.
Speaking at the Umuahia township stadium on Saturday, two members of CLIMM Track and Field Foundation, Innocent Iheme and Lee Okorafor, said the championship was aimed at discovering future world champions for the South East and Nigeria.
Okorafor lamented that the South East, which used to produce great international athletes for the country, has plummeted in the sector in the past few years, but said that the discovery of new raw talents through the sustained South East Track and Field competitions would return the zone to the athletics top flight.
He also said that the group is using the Under-16 athletic competitions to prevent the involvement of South East teenagers in crime and other deviant behaviours.
Abia State Director of Sports, Obioma George, who thanked the group for giving the hosting rights to Abia State, also said that the spike boots and other equipment donated to Abia State Sports Council by the former Nigerian international athletes would propel Abia athletes to more victories.
Among other winners, Iyioko Paschal from Enugu State won gold medals in discus and shot put, while Dike Honesty from Abia State won gold in the 800-meter race, running 2.16 minutes.
