The first Nigerian International Athletics Association (NIAA) secondary schools’ athletics invitational championship will hold on Saturday at Yaba College of Technology Sports Centre, Lagos.

The event, the first to be sponsored by some former Nigerian track and field internationals, under the auspices of the NIAA, will feature schools from across the country. 

Meet Director, Tony Osheku, an international athletics coach, said the event, apart from identifying talents at the grassroot level, will also offer opportunities for the youths to qualify for the World U-20 Championships in Lima, Peru, which will start late in August and end in September.

“The schools have always served as the breeding ground for talents and most of Nigeria’s former track and field stars behind the event started by competing in inter-house sports events.  

“Based on their rise, which saw most of them winning medals for their states and the country, they understand that the best way to keep the production line active is to provide competitions at secondary schools level,” he said.
 
Osheku also revealed there will be competition in selected events for out of school athletes, who are still U-20. 

“We also want to use the event to give opportunities to our U-20 athletes who are still seeking qualifications for the World U20 Championships in Lima. The deadline for qualification is August 4 and this event has been registered by World Athletics on its website, which means it also serves as a qualifying competition for the World U-20 event,” Osheku said.

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