Making of Champions (MOC) is pleased to announce that we have secured MTN as the Title Sponsor of an exciting new Schools’ Athletics Championships across Nigeria, or simply MTN CHAMPS, which is set to transform School Sports nationwide by holding 4 Athletics Championships across the nation – one each in Southern, Eastern, Western and Northern Nigeria – from October to November 2023. MTN CHAMPS will host over 7,000 Athletes and up to 500 Schools across the 4 Events, with each being 3-day Championships, in Benin, Uyo, Ibadan and Abuja for this inaugural season, with an extra day for the Grand Final in Abuja, to bring together the best Athletes discovered from all 4 Champs.
MOC has also partnered with Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF) as the Official Schools’ Partner of MTN CHAMPS, to ensure the widespread access and participation of schools and their students across all 4 host cities of MTN CHAMPS. In addition, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) is joining as Official Technical Partner, to ensure that all races are electronically timed and all results are ratified for global recognition by World Athletics. Furthermore, SuperSport has joined as the Official Broadcast Partners, to ensure that Nigerians everywhere can watch the best action from across all 4 locations.
The ultimate goal of MTN CHAMPS is to re-ignite grassroot Athletics talent search across Nigeria to discover and develop the Athletes that will deliver global medals and become future sporting legends for the nation. To this end, the Grand Prize of Season 1 will be full 1-year Sponsorships for 10 Athletes discovered at MTN CHAMPS to join MOC Athletics Academy in Lagos, which MTN is supporting as Lead Sponsor in 2024, to enable the best talents discovered earn College or High School Scholarships in US or Jamaica, and to train for a chance to one day represent Nigeria at future global competitions.
MTN CHAMPS will mark a historic moment in Nigerian sports for a number of reasons – it will be the first series of Athletics Championships, School or otherwise, of this scale in Nigeria’s history. It will be the first Athletics Competition since MoC’s Top Sprinter Champs in 2016 to include 3 age groups, with the Cadet (U-14) & Youth (U-17) category strictly open to Junior & Senior Secondary Schools respectively to contest the 7 School Titles available in each city, while the Juniors (U-20) is open to all other teenagers, who may also compete in Teams (e.g. Club, State, School, Uni, etc) for each city’s Junior Team Title!
MTN CHAMPS will also be the first competitions in Nigeria to utilize the world class Roster Athletics app, to ensure that all Athlete results and School/Team scoring to decide the Titles in each city will be available live on the phones of Nigerian Athletics fans globally! As such, MTN is inviting at least 80 Junior & Senior Secondary Schools in each CHAMPS city to each register up to 10 Athletes who can each select 3 individual Athletics events, and 10 athletes to join them for Boys’ & Girls’ 4x100m Relays – our ‘10+10’ Registration format for the Cadet & Youth Categories (OR ‘10+5’ for Boys’ only and Girls’ only Secondary Schools). Schools with JSS & SSS may register 2 teams – 1 each in Cadet & Youth categories!
As such, 1,800 Athletes will contest each 3-day event – 1,600 Youth & Cadets from over 80 Secondary Schools, while 200 Juniors can enter in 10 or more Teams of up to 20 Athletes who can each enter 3 individual Athletics events. Each Junior Team may also enter Boys’ & Girls’ 4x100m and Mixed 4x400m Relays, but only using the 20 Athletes they have registered! Registration has now opened across all four locations and will be strictly online at MTNCHAMPS.COM only, with registration deadlines 8 days prior to each Event!
Is your School/Team the best in Athletics in your city? There’s only one way to find out! To enter, a recognized official of your School or Team, e.g. Principal, Games Master, PE Teacher, Athletics Coach or Captain must register your Schools’ Entries at MTNCHAMPS.COM, after which you or your Athletes may promote your participation by posting the most fun and creative videos on social media of your School/Team training or trying out for MTN CHAMPS, at interhouse or inter-school sports, in practice or at any other competitions, along with the hashtag for your city (e.g. #MTNCHAMPSIbadan, etc)!
MTN CHAMPS Season 1 Locations & Dates
MTN CHAMPS Benin: Thu 12th–Sat 14th Oct ’23 (Registration deadline: Fri 6th Oct)
MTN CHAMPS Uyo: Thu 26th–Sat 28th Oct ’23 (Registration deadline: Wed 18th Oct)
MTN CHAMPS Ibadan: Thu 9th–Sat 11th Nov ’23 (Registration deadline: Wed 1st Nov)
MTN CHAMPS Abuja: Wed 29th Nov–Fri 1st Dec ’23 (Registration deadline: Tue 21st Nov)
MTN CHAMPS GRAND FINAL, Abuja: Saturday 2nd Dec ’23 (Registration details TBC)
Age Groups & Event List for MTN CHAMPS Season 1 (2023)
Cadet (U-14) – Born in 2010 or later AND must be in Junior Secondary School (JSS 1-3)
Youth (U-17) – Born in 2007 or later AND in Senior Secondary School (SS 1-3), OR they can also be JSS Students of the same school who are born between 2007 & 2009
Junior (U-20) – Born in 2004 or later (can be in school, university, other team or unattached)
Cadet (U-14) – 14 events (6 individual & 1 relay each for Boys & Girls)
4 Track events (100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m
3 Field events (Long Jump, Triple Jump & High Jump)
Youth (U-17) – 20 events (9 individual & 1 relay each for Boys & Girls)
5 Track events (100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 4x100m)
5 Field events (Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump, Shot Put and Discus)
Junior (U-20) – 29 events (13 individual & 1 relay each for Boys/Girls and Mixed 4x400m)
9 Track events (100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 100/110mH, 400mH, 4x100m for Boys & Girls and Mixed 4x400m which is 2 Boys and 2 Girls per team)
6 Field events (Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump, Shot Put, Discus & Javelin)
After the registration deadline for each city, MTN CHAMPS will announce the final Entry List of Schools & Athletes at least 4 days before each CHAMPS, and all Schools, Teams and/or Athletes must reconfirm their participation by collecting their competition bibs no later than 1-2 days prior at each CHAMPS venue – see full rules at mtnchamps.com and do email admin@mtnchamps.com for any enquiries.
We look forward to the widespread participation of Secondary Schools in all 4 cities for MTN CHAMPS and invite you to join us in providing a platform for your students be part of this national talent search.
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