Sports
Folsa School, GSS Kuje, Others Shine at Inaugural AFFAN Abuja Chapter Relay Race
By Joel Ajayi
It was an atmosphere of excitement, enthusiasm and healthy competition as close to 300 schoolgirls from 12 schools across the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) participated in the maiden edition of the Association of Former Female Athletes of Nigeria (AFFAN), Abuja Chapter, Inter-Area Council Junior and Senior Secondary Schools Relay Race.
The competition, held on Friday at the Main Bowl of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, provided a platform for young female athletes to showcase their talents, promote grassroots sports development and encourage greater participation of girls in athletics.
The historic event brought together students from various junior and senior secondary schools across the FCT, with participants competing in different track events, including the 100-metre race,4×100-metre relay, 4×400-metre relay and relay competitions for school girls.
Participating junior secondary schools included JSS Kuje, JSS Hajj Camp, JSS Kwali, JSS Abaji, Government Secondary School (GSS) Gwagwalada and Folsa School.
In the senior secondary category, the participating schools were GSS Kuje, GSS Gwagwalada, GSS Kwali, Total Child School, Government Day Secondary School (GDSS) Abaji and Folsa School.
In the junior girls’ 100-metre race, David Jimata of GDSS Kwali emerged winner to claim the gold medal, while Mercy Monday of Total Child School settled for silver. Kudirat Abdulaziz finished third to win bronze.
In the senior girls’ 100-metre event, Patricia Habillah of Folsa School claimed gold, while Mojinatu Sulaiman of Total Child School won silver. Youana of GDSS Abaji secured the bronze medal.
The junior girls’ 4×100-metre relay saw JSS Kuje emerge champions, while JSS Hajj Camp, Gwagwalada, finished second. JSS Kwali took third place.
In the senior girls’ 4×100-metre relay, Folsa School clinched the gold medal, while GDSS Abaji secured silver.
The competition also featured the 4×400-metre relay, with GSS Hajj Camp emerging winners in the junior category, ahead of GSS Kuje, who finished second, while Folsa School claimed third place.
In the senior 4×400-metre relay, Folsa School finished first to win gold, while GSS Gwagwalada secured silver and GSS Kuje settled for bronze.
The maiden competition underscored the importance of providing young girls with opportunities to discover and develop their sporting abilities through organised grassroots competitions.
It also offered participating schools an opportunity to identify promising athletes who could be nurtured for future competitions at national and international levels.
The initiative by AFFAN Abuja Chapter is expected to contribute to the development of female athletics in the FCT while inspiring more young girls to embrace sports and pursue their dreams in athletics.
Sports
AFFAN Hails Maiden Girls’ Schools Relay Race, Seeks Parental Support
By Joel Ajayi
The Patron of the Association of Former Female Athletes of Nigeria (AFFAN), Abuja Chapter, Maria Wophi, has applauded the maiden edition of the association’s inter-area council secondary school girls’ relay competition, describing it as a significant initiative towards discovering, nurturing and empowering young female athletes in Nigeria.
Wophi gave the commendation on Friday during the inaugural Inter-Area Council Junior and Senior Secondary Schools Relay Race organised by AFFAN Abuja Chapter at the Main Bowl of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
The competition attracted more than 200 schoolgirls from across the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), providing an opportunity for young athletes to showcase their talents and compete in various track events.
Participating junior secondary schools included JSS Kuje, JSS Hajj Camp, JSS Kwali, JSS Abaji, GSS Gwagwalada and Folsa School.
The senior category featured GSS Kuje, GSS Gwagwalada, GSS Kwali, Total Child School, Government Day Secondary School (GDSS) Abaji and Folsa School.
The former Director of the National Sports Commission expressed delight at the enthusiasm displayed by the participating schools and students, noting that the competition would provide a valuable platform for identifying promising talents and preparing them for future sporting opportunities.
“This is an initiative designed to catch them young and ensure that records are properly kept. We are working in collaboration with the AFN, and the records will be available to the federation as well as the schools participating in the competition,” she said.
Wophi emphasised that sports remained an important instrument for empowering the girl child and promoting personal development, adding that Nigerian female athletes had continued to distinguish themselves at grassroots, intermediate and elite levels.
She noted that women had consistently demonstrated remarkable abilities in athletics, stressing the need to strengthen grassroots development programmes to sustain the country’s achievements in female sports.
She encouraged the young participants to maximise the opportunity offered by the competition, remain committed to their sporting ambitions and recognise athletics as a viable pathway to personal growth and future success.
Wophi also reaffirmed her commitment to supporting initiatives that encourage greater female participation in sports, expressing optimism that the competition would develop into a sustainable platform for discovering and nurturing young female athletes across the country.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of AFFAN Abuja Chapter, Chineadu Oduzor-Onikeku, described the maiden edition as a promising initiative for identifying and developing young female talents, expressing confidence that the competition would become an annual event.
Onikeku said the inaugural edition had provided the organisers with an opportunity to assess the organisation of the competition, identify areas requiring improvement and establish a solid foundation for subsequent editions.
She expressed satisfaction with the performances of the young athletes, noting that their displays had reinforced her belief that Nigeria possessed abundant athletic talents waiting to be discovered through grassroots sporting initiatives.
“What we have seen here today encourages us to do more, and I believe that by this time next year, we will have an even better edition,” she said.
The AFFAN Abuja Chapter chairperson expressed confidence in the athletic abilities demonstrated by the participants, observing that several of the young girls displayed impressive speed, physical strength and promising sporting potential.
However, she stressed that parental support would be critical to the success of the initiative, urging parents and guardians to encourage their daughters to embrace athletics and give them the necessary permission and support to participate in regular training programmes.
She maintained that discovering young talents was only the first step, adding that consistent training, encouragement and a supportive environment would be essential to helping the girls realise their sporting potential.
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