Aniche, Ezeh dazzle at MTN Schools’ Athletics Championships

National Youth Games champion Michael Aniche and Adaeze Ezeh showed their class at the MTN Schools’ Athletics Championships in Benin after leading their teams – Baptist Vocational of Rivers State and Vision High School of Anambra to dominate the cadet event at the three-day tournament held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.

883 athletes across 157 schools in the three age categories (Cadet, Youth & Junior) competed in the Benin leg of the championships as Aniche ruled the cadet boys’ 400m, long jump and mixed 4X400m relay to become the cynosure of all eyes at the tournament which aided his team’s triumph in the cadet event with 49points.

Like Aniche, Ezeh coasted to victory in the girls’ cadet in 100m, 200m, long jump and 4×100 relay events to ensure that her team Vision High School also topped the girls’ cadet event with 59points.

Aniche and Ezeh won the MVP in the cadet division (U-14) while Anthony Lucky and Success Oruaro were named the MVP in the Youth event (U-17).

Lucky emerged champion in the boys’ long jump event while Oruaro claimed gold medals in girls’ 100m and 200m.

For the junior event (U-20), Isaac Chukwuwike who claimed gold medals in 400m, 800m, mixed 4X400m relay was named the MVP in the boys’ junior event, while Victoria Olaniyi who won gold medals in 100m and 200m was named the girls’ junior MVP.

For their feat in Benin, Aniche, Ezeh, Lucky, Oruaro, Chukwumike, and Olaniyi have secured their places in the grand finale in Abuja later in the year.

Other golden performers that will join the top six at the Abuja finale from the Benin leg include Showers Ushie, who claimed gold medal in the junior boys 100m; Faith Osamuyi, a gold medal in 100m hurdles and silver medal in 100m; Jane Chioma Onyeneho who finished top three in the junior girls’ 100m and 200m as well as Isaac Egberebo, a silver medallist in boys’ junior 100m and 200m will also join the train to Abuja.

The grassroots athletics championship is being organized by Making of Champion (MoC) in collaboration with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF) and sponsored by MTN Nigeria.