The 3rd Making of Champions (MoC) Grand Prix which was initially scheduled to hold on April 2nd and 3rd at the Yaba College of Technology in Lagos, has been brought forward by a few days, with the new date now set for Wednesday, March 31st, 2021, at the same venue.
The event was moved following a clash with the new dates of the National Sports Festival which has been rescheduled to hold from April 2 to 14. The 3rd MoC Grand Prix will now be a one-day event which will serve as a final major tune-up event for Nigeria’s top Athletes preparing for the National Sports Festival. More details will be released in the coming days with regards to athlete invitations and other aspects of the 3rd MoC Grand Prix.
Athlete Registration hits 700, COVID-19 Guidelines unveiled…
Meanwhile over 700 Athletes have now registered for the 3rd MoC Grand Prix, which has fast become the largest annual Athletics Competition in Nigeria aside the National Trials – indeed this number eclipses the 500 registered at the 2nd Edition and the 400 at the 1st Edition.
The Event has also taken an international dimension, as Athletes from across Africa, particularly from Kenya, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Togo, Benin Republic, Mali, Senegal, Congo and The Gambia have signaled their intention to storm Lagos for the Grand Prix, with qualification for the Tokyo Olympics up for grabs!
Reacting to the number of entries received so far, MoC Founder/CEO Bambo Akani said: “We’re very excited about the response we’ve received from athletes all across Africa for the 3rd MoC Grand Prix. It shows that there’s a real demand for competition across the continent and there’s a real opportunity for Nigeria to position itself as the premier destination for Athletics in Africa.
“Hopefully the 3rd MoC Grand Prix will be the first of many continental competitions hosted in Nigeria, and we’re calling on corporate sponsors across the nation to help us put together at least two or three more events like this before the Olympics, to help as many Nigerian athletes as possible qualify for the Olympics.”
The full Covid-19 guidelines at the 3rd MoC Grand Prix for Athletes, Sponsors & Partners, Event Officials, Staff, Volunteers, Security & Medical Personnel have been released and can be found at www.mocgrandprix.com – unfortunately, the Event will not be open to fans, though plans will be announced shortly for TV broadcast and internet streaming of the Event. Athletes intending to travel from outside of Nigeria for the Event should ensure that they adhere to the current COVID-19 protocols for entering Nigeria.
The Event will still be an Invitational only, to ensure strict adherence to National Covid-19 Protocols – MoC will shortly announce the list of invited Athletes from those who have registered (with Athletes seeking qualification for International Events to receive priority) to reconfirm their participation by the registration deadline of Friday 19th March!
The registration deadline remains Friday 19th of March – do note that no further entries will be permitted after this final deadline. Athletes yet to register can still do so via the registration link before the deadline, though with the Event being brought forward and reduced to one day, only the priority Athletes with international prospects will be extended invitations.
