At least over 200 youth and elites athletes are expected at a two-day athletic competition codenamed ‘Show What You’ve Got’ Youth/Elite Athletic Competition holding at the Training Pitch of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium between October 21 and 22, 2022.
Briefing the sporting press in Abuja on Thursday, the chief executive officer (CEO) Osi Sports Foundation and the organiser of the event, Christopher Osi, said the race is part of his contribution to impart on the lives of Nigeria youth to keep them away from crime and engage them positively through sports and produce world beaters likes of world champion, Tobiloba Amusa of Nigeria, former Olympic champion, Usain Bolt among others.
Osi said the competition will feature events like the 100m race, 200m, 400m, 800m, long jump, triple jump, discus throwing among others. He added that the competition will give the necessary attention to the kids and prepare them for the challenges ahead as far as athletics is concerned.
“The competition is all about taking the kids off the street, rehabilitate them into sports, take them off crime and they become better citizens of the nation. I have been doing this alone for quite some time now. I was a former Immigration officer. I served the Federal Government for 20 years before I retired voluntarily in 2015. I was opportune to work with Anti-human trafficking in charge of Child Abuse and I saw how children are being abused.
“But having being a sports man right from my youth and competed right from my primary school days and now that God has made me to be a very good sports man and well educated and was an immigrant officer through sports, I want to impart on the kids through sports.
“Many of these kids have through sports got scholarship to travel to the US and some to Canada. I have been doing this alone and it’s not easy. Sport is money. I call on government, corporate organisations and well to do Nigerians to give their support to the foundation.
“Youths of primary and secondary school ages and elites athletes are going to be part of the competition. We are inviting the elites athletes to keep them in form for the fast approaching National Sports Festival coming up in Asaba in November. This program entirely is all about kids and grassroots which is where you see and meet with the kids. Good athletes are in the grassroots and if their talents are well harnessed, they can represent Nigeria in the future and make the country proud.”
