Organised by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth Development, Hon. Tunde Delu, the championship brought together secondary school athletes from the Remo, Ijebu, Yewa and Egba divisions, setting a new benchmark for talent identification and youth athletics in the state.
Declaring the event open on Friday at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena, the Special Guest of Honour and the Osi of Egbaland, High Chief Bode Mustapha, described the RIYE Athletics Circuit as a commendable initiative capable of transforming the lives of young athletes through sports.
Drawing from his personal experience, Mustapha recalled how sports changed the trajectory of his life after he represented Nigeria in table tennis at the age of 18.
According to him, winning a tournament and delivering an impressive acceptance speech earned him a scholarship to study abroad from the event’s sponsor.
“Sports has a lot of advantages, and I can say that because I am a product of sports. I played table tennis for Nigeria at 18, and after winning a tournament, the sponsor told me, ‘I will not let you waste in Nigeria; I will send you abroad to study.’ That opportunity has made me who I am today,” he said.
He urged the young athletes to remain disciplined and give their best at every competition, stressing that they never know who may be watching and ready to change their lives through a single outstanding performance.
“Many people watch you, but you don’t know they are watching. You don’t know where you will perform well, and that could become the turning point in your life. Your success can begin from one competition like this,” Mustapha advised.
The Egba chief also commended the organiser, Hon. Tunde Delu, and everyone who contributed to the success of the maiden edition, expressing optimism that the RIYE Athletics Circuit would become an annual event that would outlive the current administration and leave a lasting legacy in grassroots sports development.
He further encouraged participants to embrace the spirit of sportsmanship, reminding them that victory does not come to everyone at every competition.
“Not all of us will win. The spirit is in participating, learning, and preparing for the next opportunity. If you don’t win today, prepare for the next time. If you have won, work harder so that you can win again,” he said .
Hon. Tunde Delu along with other committee members, expressed satisfaction with the quality of young talents discovered at the grassroots from the Four Sports Divisions of Remo, Ijebu, Egba and Yewa (RIYE) , saying the objective of the competition designed for hunting of talents from schools, has to a very large extent being achieved
He assured that the RIYE Athletics Circuit in next year will better, promising the competition will be expanded to accommodate more talents to express themselves in the track and field events
According to him, some of the athletes had been spotted by coaches who are scouting for talented athletes from the various schools in the state
"From next year, we are looking forward to discover more talents , to accommodate more athletes to express themselves, because it is good for Ogun State and the entire country"
"Our vision is to institutionalise this RIYE Athletics Circuit it Junior and Inter-Mediate competition and competition for the elite athletes from both Nigeria and foreign countries who will come into the city of Abeokuta and compete "
Delu pledged that talents discovered would be developed by coaches who will be providing technical support for athletes to actualize their dream of becoming elite athletes in the nearest future, inline with the objective of the competition
Director General of National Sports Commission (NSC) Chief Bukola Olapade who shared the same vision, in an interview from the sidelines of the competition, lauded the initiative of Tunde Delu, saying the competition has produced talented athletes who are good enough to represent the Ogun State at the next year National Youth Games in Delta State and coming Inter-Mediate competition in Lagos State
He assured NSC would continue to support such initiative that aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for sports development in the country.
At the event, Fourteen-year-old Olufunmilayo Kuku of Muslim Girls High School, Ijebu-Ode, and 13-year-old Sodiq Olaniyi of Luba Comprehensive High School, Ijebu-Ode, emerged as the standout performers in the track events at the maiden edition of the RIYE Under-15 Athletics Circuit for secondary schools in Ogun State.
Also 14 year-old Ibrahim Abdul- Ahmed from Tai Solarin Federal University of Education Secondary School, Ijebu-Ode, won cash prize of N50, 0000 at presentation performed by State Director of Sports, Seyi Sonde, after winning gold medal in the Boys' 100 metres track event
Olufunmilayo clinched gold medals in 100metres, 200 metres and relay event in 100metres with an improved personal best record in the finals of the competition held on Friday inside the main bowl of the MKO Sports Arena in kuto, the State capital
She went home with N50,000 cash prize in each of the events while athletes who finished in the second and third positions respectively received N30,000 and N20,000 each
The highly excited young athlete in an interview with sportswriters, was full of appreciation to her team of coaches for providing the technical support, saying her exceptional performance has attracted the interest of notable individuals at the event
Similarly, Sodiq who won gold in both 400 metres and relay event in 400 metres, expressed joy over the successful outing at event, saying he never expected such performance
He also attributed the success to his coach whose technical advice assisted him greatly in winning the keenly contested 400m final with 55:34 secs, ahead of Haruna Abdul-Basit with 55:63 secs and Adisa Lasisi with 56: 65secs
Sodiq equally went home with N50,000 in each of the events, while others in the second and third positions received cash prizes of N30,000 and N20,000 respectively
In some of the track events decided , Abigeal Ogunbowale won 800metres in the final with "2min:22: 75", ahead of Faridat Oluokun (2mins :27:94 and Soligat Taiwo with (2mins:29:45)
In the boys' 800 metres event, Samuel Adegbuyi won the final with 2 min;02:68secs , Oluwaseun Idowu came second with (2 min:11:75 secs ) while Saheed Alebiosu who finished in 2mins:12:80 secs
In some of the field events decided , Risikat Kehinde of Ijebu-Mushin School won gold in the Girls' Long-jump while Great Edevede of Simawa High School and Adeola Fasasi of Batoro High School finished in the second and third positions respectively
In the Girls Shot-Put event, Fathia Otubu won with a throw of 9.09 metres beating Endurance Egbamuno to the second position with a throw of 8.63 metres
