Calabar Plays Host To NDDC/South South Athletic Meet

The fourth edition of the Cross River state/NDDC/South South all comers athletics championships will hold from Thursday August 21 to Saturday August 23 at the U.J Esuene stadium in Calabar, Bruce Ijirigho,the consultant on sports to Cross River state government has revealed. The organisers have provided for athletes to contest for honours in three categories namely- the primary school,secondary school and elite levels.While the age-grade categories (primary and secondary) are open only to athletes from the six states that make up the south south geo-political zone of Nigeria- Delta, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Edo),the elite category is open to athletes from the all over the federation who are registered with the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN). ‘Events schedule will be available as from August 20. All events will be run on a timely basis with the heats starting at 9:30 am prompt on August 21, 2014,’’said Ijirigho who added that junior athletes will be screened into appropriate age categories before the start of competition. "All athletes competing in the age-grade categories are required to bring along evidence that they are truly within the age bracket for their categories,’further said Iirigho who also announced the prize monies for each category of the championships. "Prize money will be paid to the top three finishers in every event with athletes competing under the primary school category (10 to 12 years old) going home with N5,000,N3,000 and N2,000 for first,second and third placed finishers respectively.Athletes under the junior secondary school ( 12+ to 15 years) and senior secondary school ( 15+ to 17 Years) will get the same amount in prize money while it is totally different for the elite athletes.The prize money for the top three finishers in this category is N20,000,N15,000 and N10,000 respectively," he added. Events listed by Ijirigho, to be competed for are the 100,200m,400m,800m,1500m,30000m,50000m(for senior secondary school and elite),long jump,triple jump and high jump as well as the 4x100m and 4x400m relays. as well as the shot put,javelin throw and pole vault.