As the countdown to the fourth and final leg of MTN CHAMPS begins, all participating schools and clubs should note that the Abuja leg of the nationwide series of the secondary school Athletics Championships, which is the Grand Final, will serve both as the selection phase of the top schools/teams from that location, as well as the battle for honours among the Most Valuable Performers (MVPs).
MTN CHAMPS is sponsoring 30 Athletes comprising MVPs and ‘Golden Performers’ – from the Benin, Uyo and Ibadan legs of the competition to the Grand Final in Abuja, which holds from 1st to 3rd December, 2023, at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, who will compete against the schools in Abuja.
The MVPs from the previous locations to be sponsored to MTN CHAMPS Abuja will be announced soon, and will join the Grand Final at the semifinal or final stages of each of their events.
There will still be a points system for the best schools and overall Junior team, and the 30 MVPs from the other locations will compete in a ‘Team MVP’ in the Cadet, Youth and Junior categories.
As with other locations, the schools registered in Abuja will contest the Cadet and Youth school titles, while Team MVP will go up against the other U-20 teams for the Junior Girls’ & Boys’ team trophy.
In addition to that, there will be six MVPs recognised in Abuja (excluding the previous MVPs), and finally, the best 20 athletes for the whole season according to their performances in Abuja, will be announced at the end of the championship as part of the shortlist to select 10 for the Academy in 2024.
The MTN CHAMPS Grand Final in Abuja is the first leg where the 4x400m will be introduced in the Cadet and Youth categories on the final day, in addition to the 4x100m, which would give secondary schools a chance to earn more points to win the school titles, considering that relays earn double points, compared to individual events.
As schools register for MTN CHAMPS Abuja this week, they should note that their 10 + 10 Athletes should compete in both the 4x100m and 4x400m to earn maximum points.
Registration is still ongoing for MTN CHAMPS Abuja, and with over 500 Athletes currently registered, time is fast running out for schools to secure their places at the Grand Final in Abuja. Registration has been extended until Friday, 24th November, or before that when the registration limit of 1000 Athletes is reached.
Schools that have not competed at any leg of MTN CHAMPS held across Benin, Uyo and Ibadan, and intend to register for the Abuja leg should do so now on https://mtnchamps.com/registration to avoid disappointment.
It is compulsory for at least one parent or legal guardian of each participating athlete to sign the Parental Consent Form, which can be downloaded on https://mtnchamps.com/registration.
ALL Athletes must also print the 1-page parental consent form for their parent or legal guardian to sign and return at bib collection.
