99 Track & Field events across 4 age categories for MTN CHAMPS/AFN National Trials in Asaba!

All roads will lead to the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, Delta State, from Sat 17^th–Wed 21^st February, 2024, as MTN CHAMPS returns for Season 2 after an exciting first season held sway across four cities in 2023: Benin, Uyo, Ibadan and Abuja, with more than 7000 participants registering for the Schools’ Athletics Championships.

Season 1 comprised of Cadet (U14), Youth (U17) and Junior (U20) age categories, but for Season 2, the Senior Category is being added to serve as the official Olympic qualification events at all four locations of CHAMPS.

For the first leg in Asaba, MTN CHAMPS has partnered with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to run the Senior Category as the National Trials, to select Nigeria’s Athletics Team for the African Games billed to hold in Accra, Ghana, from 8^th to 23^rd March 2024.

AFN has been the Official Technical Partner at all MTN CHAMPS Events since Season 1, officiating at all the Events and ratifying all the results for global recognition by World Athletics to enable qualification for major global events such as the Olympics this year. AFN is also the owner of the National Trials for the African Games, which MTN CHAMPS Asaba is partnering with and hosting, as well as sponsoring the accommodation for the Top 70 Athletes in Nigeria to attend the MTN CHAMPS/AFN National Trials!

All Athletes who wish to compete in the National Trials at MTN CHAMPS Asaba to be considered for selection for Team Nigeria to the African Games in Ghana in March MUST register online in the Senior Category only at  https://mtnchamps.com/registration by selecting either the Senior (Individual) or Senior (Teams) option, AND they must also email the AFN at [email protected] with the same details to confirm their registration for the MTN CHAMPS / AFN National Trials.

The 70 Athletes who are selected for the Accommodation Sponsorship must also register online via the MTN CHAMPS website and send an email to the AFN with their registration details as outlined above to confirm their participation. All other registrations in the Senior Category will be subject to entry standards set by the AFN in each Track & Field discipline, and the final list of athletes for the Senior Entry List will be released after the registration deadline of Wednesday 14^th February.

Up to 99 Track and Field events will feature in MTN CHAMPS Asaba across the Cadet, Youth & Juniors (each taking place across all 5 days of the Event) and the Seniors (which as Nigeria’s Athletics Trials for the African Games will take place across the first 4 days only, given that the qualification deadline for the Athletics at the African Games will be on the 4^th day, Tuesday 20^th October!)

It is compulsory for at least one parent or legal guardian of each participating athlete in the Cadet, Youth & Junior categories to sign the Parental Consent Form, which can be downloaded on https://mtnchamps.com/registration

ALL Athletes under the age of 21 must also print the 1-page parental consent form for their parent or legal guardian to sign and return at bib collection which will take place strictly on 15^th & 16^th February, in the 1 or 2 days before MTN CHAMPS / AFN National Trials in Asaba gets underway!

The other three legs of CHAMPS will hold in Kaduna (Tue 5^th–Fri 8^th March ’24), Ibadan (Tue 26^th–Fri 29^th March ’24) and Port-Harcourt (Wed 23^rd Apr–Fri 26^th Apr ’24).

Age Groups & Event List for MTN CHAMPS Season 2 (2024)

• Cadet (U14) – Born in 2011 or later AND must be in Junior Secondary School (JS 1-3)
• Youth (U17) – Born in 2008 or later AND in Senior Secondary School (SS 1-3), OR they can also be JSS Students of the same school who are born between 2008 & 2010
• Junior (U20) – Born in 2005 or later (can be in school, university, other team or unattached)
• Senior – no age restrictions

Cadet (U14) – 12 events (5 individual & 1 relay each for Boys & Girls)

• 4 Track events (100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m)
• 2 Field events (Long Jump & High Jump)

Youth (U17) – 20 events (9 individual & 1 relay each for Boys & Girls)

• 5 Track events (100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 4x100m)
• 5 Field events (Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump, Shot Put and Discus)

Junior (U20) – 29 events (13 individual & 1 relay each for Boys & Girls and Mixed 4x400m)

• 9 Track events (100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 100/110mH, 400mH, 4x100m for Boys & Girls and Mixed 4x400m which is 2 Boys and 2 Girls per team)
• 6 Field events (Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump, Shot Put, Discus & Javelin)

Senior (no age restrictions) – No. of Events to be decided prior to each Event (38 events for MTN CHAMPS Asaba / AFN National Trials – 19 each for Men & Women)

• 11 Track (100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5,000m, 10,000m, 20km Race Walk, 3000m Steeplechase, 100m/110mH Hurdles, 400m Hurdles)
• 8 Field events (Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump & Pole Vault, Shot Put, Discus, Javelin & Hammer Throw)