About 150 athletes were engaged in the fight of their lives as the battle to represent Lagos State at the forthcoming National School Sports Festival (NSSF) took centre stage at the trials organized by the state Athletics Association on Thursday, October 29.

The competition was held at Teslim Balogun Stadium, with secondary school students (and a few primary school pupils) competing in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m and the Long Jump event. The youngsters did not hide their desire to represent the Centre of Excellence at the festival slated to hold at the Akwa Ibom State capital, Uyo next month.

Oriyomi Akala won the Boys' 100m race.
Oriyomi Akala won the Boys’ 100m race.
Akala is flanked by Afolabi and Oluwadamilare who finished 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Akala is flanked by Afolabi and Oluwadamilare who finished 2nd and 3rd respectively.

Oriyomi Akala of Euba Secondary School in Mushin was the fastest boy at the event as he raced to victory in the 100m with a time of 10.9s, ahead of Oreyo Senior Grammar School’s Abiodun Afolabi (11.0s) and Akeem Oluwadamilare (11.3s).

The teenager hopes to replicate the same feat in Uyo next month: “My performance was great. I knew I was going to be 1st because I knew the guys I was going to meet in the final, so I was ready for them. My goal is to win GOLD in Uyo even though I know that states like Delta and Rivers will come with tough teams, but I’m going to train for it.”

15-year old Afolabi who placed 2nd said, “My performance wasn’t too good but I did my best and left the rest for God. Akala is my senior because we went to Benin together for the Top Sprinter auditions and despite being in secondary school, he ran in the senior category and did well.

Joy Udo-Gabriel dominated the Girls' 100m.
Joy Udoh-Gabriel dominated the Girls’ 100m.
Udoh-Gabriel poses alongside the top finishers in the Girls' 100m.
Udoh-Gabriel poses alongside the top finishers in the Girls’ 100m.

“He is doing 10s now so I have to give him that honour. I have heard a lot about the NSSF so my target is to become champion in Uyo.” In the Girls’ event, Joy Udoh-Gabriel of Stars International College Ikorodu won her race in 12.5s and revealed that she will be aiming for the top spot in Uyo:

“I feel very happy and great winning the 100m. I was very scared as usual because I don’t train; I didn’t know what to expect. I thank God for everything. I really want to make the team to Uyo. I was at the NSSF last year where I was 2nd, but this time around I want to come 1st. I know it’s going to be hard, but with God on my side, I will overcome.”

The Girls’ 400m consisted of three heats and it was Blessing Obariehu who ran the fastest time as she won Heat 3 with a time of 59.5s. Winner of Heat 2, Rhoda Obamuwagan ran the second fastest time of 62.2, while Feyisara Edun dominated Heat 1.

Blessing Obariehu ran the fastest time in the Girls' 400m.
Blessing Obariehu ran the fastest time in the Girls’ 400m.
Emmanuel Unua ran the fastest time in the Boys' 400m.
Emmanuel Unua ran the fastest time in the Boys’ 400m.

Emmanuel Unua ran the fastest time in the Boys’ 400m where he clocked 53.3s to win Heat 2, while Babatunde Joseph of Igbobi College won Heat 1 with 54.0s. Shittu Matthew and Segun Adenuga posted 54.6s and 53.5s respectively to win Heats 3 and 4.

Obariehu and Edun also won their heats in the Girls’ 200m while Akala, James Ubong and Pius Etiobhio won their respective heats in the Boys’ category. Obariehu’s younger sister, Ese who attends Oreyo Junior Grammer School, won the Girls 800m in 2:34.4.  Peter Ukemec of Epetado High School won the Boys’ 800m (2:05.5) and 1500m respectively.

16-year old Ukemec said, “I am happy. If you keep God first, you will be a winner. Also winners never quit, so you must be determined. My coach trained me for the long distance events which I prefer to the sprints.  The sprints involve a lot of power and you can easily shift your muscle in the process. My role model is Mo Farah because he is the best in long distance events.”

Peter Ukemec who won the Boys' 800m and 1500m says Mo Farah is his role model.
Peter Ukemec who won the Boys’ 800m and 1500m says Mo Farah is his role model.
Blessing Obariehu (L) won her heats in the 200m/400m while her younger sister Ese won the 800m final.
Blessing Obariehu (L) won her heats in the 200m/400m while her younger sister Ese (R) won the 800m final.

19-year old Olubami Emife of United Christian Senior Secondary School won the Boys’ Long Jump with a distance of 6.04m, and was followed by ISL’s Idowu Timilehin (5.91m) and Igebe Samuel (5.88m). Grace Owoniyi of Oreyo Senior Grammar School won the Girls’ event.

The final selection for the Lagos team to the National School Sports Festival will be made according to the number of slots allocated to the state ahead of the fiesta in November. It was revealed that the state was handed 16 slots for the Athletics event last year, which comprised of eight boys and eight girls.

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Yemi Galadima is a Senior Sportswriter and Editor at Making of Champions. She has a bias for Athletics and was previously a Sports Reporter at the National Mirror, where she hosted a weekly column ‘On the Track with Yemi Olus’ for over two years. A self-acclaimed ‘athletics junkie’, she has covered national and international events live, such as the African Athletics Championships, African Games, Olympics and World Athletics Championships. She also freelances for World Athletics.

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