By Ben Efe 11-7-2025
National Sports Commission Elite Athletes Development and Podium Board executive director Yusuf Alli said he will personally take notes of Nigerian junior athletes at the Confederation of Africa Athletics U-18/U-20 Championships begining July 16 in Abeokuta Ogun State.
He stated that the Championships is a good talent hunting ground for pool of world class athletes the NSC is looking to groom in the next three years.
“I will be in Abeokuta myself to pencil down athletes that we can groom…I’m excited with what I have seen so far…I was at the trial meet at Yaba College of Tech on Thursday and I’m impressed.
“The beautiful thing is that we are not fielding overaged athletes, it is like a down payment for our future development,” said the former African long jump champion whose national record of 8.27m remains a mark to beat after 35 years.
He noted that the discussion with the coaches of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria was that emphasis should not be on winning but exposing the athletes some of whom are competing at the continental level for the first time.
Over 900 athletes from 43 African nations are expected to compete at the championships, Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya in the past three editions have battled for supremacy.
“For us it is not about winning, but introducing our athletes to big time athletics competition,” added Alli.