The maiden RIYE U15 Athletics Championship at MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Kuto, Abeokuta has been rated as a track and field competition that is good not only for Ogun State but something which will benefit Nigeria in general.
Sports247 reports that this assertion was provided by the competition’s organiser and Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun’s special adviser on youth development, Honourable Tunde Delu, who also stated satisfaction with the display of talents in all events.
Honourable Delu admitted he was happy and satisfied with the large number of discoveries that emerged during the single-day competition that drew teenage athletes from the four sports divisions of Ogun State – Remo, Ijebu, Egba and Yewa (RIYE).
Among top performers during the championship were 14-year-old Olufunmilayo Kuku of Muslim Girls High School, Ijebu-Ode and 13-year-old Sodiq Olaniyi of Luba Comprehensive High School, based in the same city.
Kuku won gold in the girls’ the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay, thereby establishing herself as one of Ogun State’s most promising athletes, for which she went home with a total cash reward of N150,000 for her efforts.
On his part, Olaniyi won gold in the 400m and 4x400m relay, following which he attributed his success to the quality preparation and technical guidance provided by his coach, even as he got N100,000 for his achievements.
Another athlete who caught the eye was 14-year-old Ibrahim Abdul-Ahmed of Tai Solarin Federal University of Education Secondary School, Ijebu-Ode, who won the boys’ 100m and was rewarded with a cash prize of N50,000.
While taking another look at the results in sprints, middle distance races and field events, Delu said the championship fulfilled its objective of identifying grassroots talents, then disclosed his plan to expand the competition in future editions.
Delu further projected, “From next year, we are looking forward to discovering more talents and accommodating more athletes to express themselves, because it is good for Ogun State and the country.
“Several participants have attracted the attention of coaches and talent scouts. We will now develop the RIYE Athletics Circuit into a structured junior, intermediate and elite competition capable of attracting athletes from across Nigeria and beyond.”
