The Gambia and Benin Republic have arrived in the city of Asaba for the Warri Grand Prix, set to take place at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, News About Nigeria gathered.
The event which holds on Thursday, serves as a tribute to the late Dr. Awoture Eleyae, former Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Sports In Africa (SCSA), who passed away in Benin City last week.
Dr. Eleyae’s U-14, U-15, and U-17 Championships, a developmental initiative, have been instrumental in discovering young talents in Nigeria, including athletes like Divine Oduduru, Favour Ofili, and Ese Brume between 2013 and 2014.
Tonobok Okowa, President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), expressed that the Warri Grand Prix provides another opportunity for Nigeria’s 4x100m relay team to qualify for the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.
The event features a three-in-one competition, with five African countries competing in the 4x100m, 4x400m, and mixed relays.
The Delta State Sports Commission has also called on secondary schools in the three senatorial districts to send teams to compete in the relays.
The Nigerian 4x100m relay team is determined to secure their qualification spot after previous attempts in Lome, Togo, Yaba Tech in Lagos, and Cotonou in Benin Republic.
Okowa remains optimistic about their chances, stating, “I still believe our athletes have all it takes to run the required time to take Nigeria to Budapest in the 4x100m relay.”
The late Dr. Awoture Eleyae left a lasting impact on the Nigerian sports administration. Serving as the head of the SCSA from 1992 to 2004, he was a pioneer in the field and was part of several international professional bodies.
Beyond his administrative contributions, Dr. Eleyae captained the Nigerian Basketball team to the first All-Africa Games in 1965 and played a significant role in designing the Nigerian Institute for Sports (NIS).
