At last year’s National Youth Games held in Ilorin, Kwara State, some talented athletes were spotted for possible national assignment from different areas of sports of which Anambra State with a large contingent saw some of its athletes selected. Recall that on 26th of October 2019, the Ministry of Youth and Sports under the leadership of Sunday Dare signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Tulip International College worth N2.6 Million naira where an agreement was reached between the two bodies to award full scholarships to some of the athletes to further their education while still doing the business of Sports.
Four out of the twenty athletes nominated for the scholarship programme from Anambra in company of their Coach, Mr. Akachukwu Igwebuike, a two-time Gold Medalist in Javelin at International level, where put through physical and practical trials as well as oral screening with the names of the four athletes as stated below:
1 Onoja Justina Ene (Long Jump, High Jump and 100 metres)
2 Dike Innocent Mmaduabuchi (Long Jump and High Jump)
3 Shehu Gabriel Chidera (Shotput and Discus)
4 Okoye Chiamaka (Shotput)
Two athletes out of the four nominated from Anambra State made the final cut for the scholarship award as follows:
1 Dike Innocent Mmaduabuchi (Long Jump and High Jump)
2 Shehu Gabriel Chidera (Shotput and Discus)
It may interest you to know that during the course of the screening programme were over 240 footballers were nominated for the scholarship programme, three footballers of Anambra descent made the final list of which the captain of Team Anambra at the 5th National Youth Games, Master Okafor Chinaza Anthony was amongst the lucky recipient.
