TWENTY-EIGHT years after the city of Ibadan, Oyo State hosted the Third African U-20 Athletics Championships, the country is set to host the biennial competitions once again. This time, Nigeria will host the combined U-18/U-20 Championships from July 16 to 20, in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
In the 1997 event in Ibadan, Nigerian athletes dominated the championships, topping the medals table with a total of 39 medals, comprising 13 gold, 11 silver,, and 15 bronze medals, ahead of Algeria (seven gold, six silver, and five bronze). Kenya, South Africa, and Ghana were in third, fourth, and fifth positions respectively.
While the U-20 event, which first began in 1994 in Algiers, Algeria was for athletes aged 19 or under, the U-18 Championships was established in 2013 for athletes aged 15 to 17.
One Nigerian athlete, Fidelis Gadzama, who won the 400m gold medal at the Ibadan ’97 edition of the African U-20 Championships, is a member of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for this year’s African U-18/U-20 Championships in Abeokuta.
The 2025 U-18/U-20 Championships was originally scheduled to be held in Oran, Algeria, from July 14 to 18, but was moved to Nigeria. A member of the LOC, former Nigeria triple jumper, Rosa Collins-Okah, said the championships serve as a major platform for African junior athletes to compete on the continental stage, adding that it offers valuable experience for athletes preparing for higher-level competitions.
According to her, the events have contributed to the growth and development of athletics in Africa. With about 36 days to go, the LOC, which has the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade as chairman, is revving up preparations for a successful event.
The prestigious biennial event will welcome the continent’s most promising young athletes to the newly refurbished MKO Abiola Sports Arena, which recently hosted the 22nd National Sports Festival.
According to the LOC, over 500 athletes from 53 African nations are expected to compete in this year’s championship, making it one of the largest gatherings of young athletic talents on the continent.
South Africa, the reigning overall champions, will be looking to defend her title, but Nigeria’s young stars are also eager to make a strong statement on home soil.
“This is not just a competition, but a celebration of Africa’s future stars in track and field,” Olopade said. “Nigeria is honored to host once again and to demonstrate its world-class capacity in organising major sporting events,” he added.
The choice of Abeokuta, according to the LOC, underscores the state’s growing reputation as a hub for sports development, with its state-of-the-art facilities and strategic location.
The Chairman of the Technical sub-committee of the LOC, ex-international, Enefiok Udo-Obong, said yesterday that the CAA African U-18/U-20 Championships is the breeding ground for the continent’s future Olympic and world champions.
