The RIYE U-15 athletics circuit is aiming to unearth future champions in Ogun State

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Organizers of the RIYE Under-15 Athletics Circuit, Tunde Delu Initiative, have said the competition is designed to discover and develop the next generation of athletics talent from across Ogun State.

Speaking at the press conference held in Abeokuta on Saturday to announce the commencement of the championship, the promoter of the event, Hon. Tunde Delu said the competition was conceived as a long-term platform to identify and nurture young athletes capable of excelling on the global stage.

“This is a vision I’ve had for a while and we’re trying to make it a reality.”

“We believe we can do better by creating a competition that brings together young athletes under the age of 15 in a highly competitive environment and institutionalizing it so that it continues to produce champions for the next 10, 20, 30 and even 40 years.”

Hon Delu noted that Ogun State has a rich history of producing world class athletes, citing the examples of Falilat Ogunkoya, Gafar Badmus and Rebecca Enilolobo, who were discovered and nurtured from a young age before achieving success.

He explained that the RIYE U-15 track and field circuit seeks to expand the state’s talent pool by providing a platform for hundreds of young athletes to showcase their skills and compete at a high level.

According to him, about 200 schools across Ogun State have already expressed interest in participating in the maiden edition of the competition.

The championship will feature athletes from Remo, Ijebu, Yewa and Egba zones, who will compete in zonal qualifiers before the grand finale scheduled for June 26, 2026, at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena, Abeokuta.

Participants will compete in the 100 metre, 200 metre, 400 metre, 800 metre, long jump, high jump and relay events, giving young athletes the opportunity to showcase their talent and gain valuable exposure.

The competition will begin with the Egba zonal qualifiers on June 15 at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena, Abeokuta, before moving to Ilaro for the Yewa qualifiers, Sagamu for the Remo qualifiers and Ijebu Ode for the Ijebu qualifiers.

Also speaking at the press conference, the Athletes Coordinator, Coach Abayomi Asipa, assured stakeholders that the well-being of the participating athletes has been adequately planned. He noted that comprehensive measures were taken to ensure the comfort and safety of the young competitors throughout the championship.

Coach Asipa further revealed that measures have been put in place to prevent age-related cheating, while security-related logistics and other operational requirements have been carefully addressed to ensure a smooth and credible competition.

Dignitaries present at the press conference included Senior Legislative Assistant to the Vice President of the Senate, Comrade Oyejide Olasunkanmi, Deputy Director General, News, OGTV, Mr Biodun Alabi, President, Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Ogun State Chapter, Comrade Michael Azeez Ogunsiji, as well as media professionals from various organisations.

Bayo Adegboyega,
Director of Media and Communications,
RIYE Under 15 athletics circuit.