No fewer than 1,000 athletes from 121 schools and teams will compete at the MTN CHAMPS Athletics Classics in Calabar from March 5 to 7, as Season 4 of Nigeria’s largest track and field competition gets underway.
The three-day meet will take place at the U.J Esuene Stadium, marking a return to Cross River State after the city hosted the Season 2 Grand Final in 2024.
A total of 2,399 event entries have been recorded across four age categories, Cadet (U14), Youth (U17), Junior (U20), and Senior, with 94 track and field events scheduled.
The Cadet and Youth categories alone account for nearly 500 athletes from 56 schools, highlighting the competition’s continued emphasis on grassroots development.
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Since its launch in 2023, MTN CHAMPS has grown into the largest athletics competition in Nigeria’s history, attracting more than 22,000 athletes from over 1,300 schools across eight cities. The programme has positioned itself as a key platform for talent identification and long-term athlete development.
Season 4 opens in Calabar before moving to Jos (March 26–28) for the Continental Relays and concluding in Ibadan (April 15–18) for the Grand Final.
Organisers have confirmed that all registered athletes must collect their competition bibs by March 4 to remain on the start list, while athletes under 21 are required to submit signed parental consent forms.
With institutional partnerships strengthened and a three-year Olympic-aligned development plan in place, MTN CHAMPS continues to serve as a central pathway for sprint and relay development in Nigeria, with an eye firmly on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cycle.
Season 4 in Calabar is expected to set the tone for another year of talent discovery and elite progression on Nigeria’s tracks.
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