MoC Athletics Academy, in their inaugural appearance at the MTN CHAMPS competition, made a resounding statement at the Benin Athletics Classics, the opening leg of Season 3. The Lagos-based academy, competing as ‘Team MTN,’ fielded seventeen athletes who showcased their impressive skills and potential, amassing a total of eight medals, including two gold, three silver, and three bronze, across a variety of events held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium and UNIBEN Sports Complex. Their performance marked a successful entry into the competitive landscape of Nigerian athletics and highlighted the efficacy of the academy’s training programs.
Team MTN’s dominance was particularly evident in the senior 400m races, where they swept both the men’s and women’s gold medals. Benjamin Magaji led the charge in the men’s event, demonstrating significant improvement with a new personal best of 48.04s in the final, building on another personal best of 48.23s set earlier in the heats. Miracle Uwem Donald mirrored Magaji’s success in the women’s 400m, securing gold with a strong time of 55.05s. Donald further showcased her sprinting prowess by competing in the 200m final, ultimately finishing fifth with a respectable time of 25.04s. These victories underscored the academy’s strength in the 400m discipline.
Further contributing to Team MTN’s medal count, Jane Onyeneho captured silver in the senior women’s 200m final, clocking 24.58s after a swift 24.47s in the heats. Showers Ushie, another key member of Team MTN, competed in both the senior men’s 100m and 200m events, progressing to the semifinals in the latter. He also played a crucial role in the senior men’s 4x100m relay team, anchoring them to a silver medal finish with a combined time of 41.63s. These performances solidified Team MTN’s presence across multiple sprint events.
The academy’s junior athletes also made significant contributions to the overall success. Ezekiel Asuquo demonstrated exceptional improvement in the junior men’s 400m, finishing fourth in a highly competitive final with a lifetime best of 47.46s, a substantial leap from his qualifying time of 48.92s. He proved to be a valuable asset to the relay teams, participating in both the junior and senior men’s 4x100m relays, contributing to a silver and bronze medal respectively. Stephen Adejumo also pushed personal boundaries, setting new personal bests in both the junior men’s 200m and 400m events. Notably, he broke the 49-second barrier in the 400m final, finishing sixth with a time of 48.99s after posting 49.84s in the heats. These achievements highlighted the academy’s commitment to fostering growth and development in young athletes.
Several other Team MTN athletes achieved personal bests, demonstrating the overall improvement and progress fostered by the academy. Toheebat Jimoh set a new personal best of 25.47s in the 200m heats and an impressive 57.32s in her first competitive 400m race. Alvin Onyeama broke the 11-second mark twice in the junior boys’ 100m, clocking 10.97s in the heats and 10.91s in the semifinals, before finishing fourth in the final. He also anchored the junior boys’ 4x100m relay team to a bronze medal. Lucy Nwankwo reached the finals of both the junior women’s 100m and 200m, finishing seventh and sixth respectively, achieving a lifetime best of 24.84s in the 200m. She was also part of the silver-medal-winning junior women’s 4x100m relay team. Chizoba Onyemauwa, competing in the youth category, achieved personal bests in both the girls’ 200m and 400m, finishing fourth and securing a bronze medal respectively. These accomplishments showcased the broad spectrum of talent nurtured within the academy.
The relay events proved to be a significant source of medals for Team MTN, further emphasizing the academy’s focus on teamwork and collaborative performance. The senior men’s 4x100m relay team, comprising Ushie, Onyeama, Magaji, and Asuquo, secured a silver medal. The junior men’s 4x100m relay team, consisting of Oyewale, Asuquo, Adejumo, and Onyeama, earned a bronze medal. The junior women’s 4x100m relay team, comprised of Nwankwo, Ogbonna, Muhammed-Raji, and Jimoh, added another silver medal to the tally. The mixed 4x400m relay team, featuring Obi, Adejumo, Joseph, and Jimoh, also contributed with a bronze medal. These achievements highlight the team’s collective strength and strategic prowess in relay events. In conclusion, MoC Athletics Academy’s debut performance at the MTN CHAMPS Benin Athletics Classics was a resounding success. The athletes demonstrated their potential across a range of events, securing numerous medals and personal bests. This strong showing firmly establishes the academy as a rising force in Nigerian athletics and signals a promising future for its athletes.
