The Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olapade, has expressed excitement about the upcoming CAA U-18 Junior Africa Athletics Championship, scheduled to hold in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Speaking at a world press conference, Olapade emphasized that the event’s primary objective is to discover new talents that can potentially beat established athletes.
Olapade noted that the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Technical Director have a simple yet crucial mandate: to produce new athletes who can excel in major international competitions, including the Commonwealth Games and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Meanwhile, Olapade while expressing enthusiasm about the event, revealed that the commission is still awaiting entries from several countries, including Eritrea, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. He expressed surprise that some top athletics nations had not submitted their entries, but he remains optimistic about a successful event.
He maintained that he expects around 50 countries to participate in the championship, with approximately 900 athletes and officials in attendance. He noted that countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, and Nigeria are expected to bring significant numbers of athletes, which will contribute to the overall participation numbers.
The CAA U-18 Junior Africa Athletics Championship promises to be a platform for discovering new talents and showcasing the best of African athletics. With the event just around the corner, anticipation is building, and expectations are high for a successful and exciting championship.
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