By Ben Efe 11-6-2025
With roughly a month to go for the 2025 Confederation of African Athletics U-20 and U-18 Championships, Abeokuta, Ogun State is gearing up to host another major competition, shortly after the Gateway Games National Sports Festival.
Over 500 athletes from 53 nations have registered to compete at the event billed for the Moshood Abiola Sports Arena and according to the Local Organising Committee chairman and also National Sports Commission director-general, Hon. Bukola Olapade the gathering billed for July 16-20 is going to be a celebration of future African athletics stars.
“Nigeria is honoured to host the event once against after we first did in 1997, we are ready, Abeokuta, Ogun State is ready to demonstrate its capacity in organising world class events.
“The championships is going to be a celebration of Africa’s future in track and field and we going to make it memorable event,”
Nigeria first hosted the CAA U-20 Championships 1997 in Ibadan and one athlete who is nostalgic about that occasion is Fidelis Gadzama who is a member of the LOC for the 2025 competition. Gadzama who is the vice president of the out-going Athletics Federation of Nigeria board won the 400m men gold.
Gadzama noted that he was glad to be part of the organising committee and would be putting the same energy he competed with in into making sure the event is successful and rewarding for the participating athletes.