By Babatunde Ogunrinde

A contingent of 60 student-athletes has departed Nigeria for Annaba, Algeria, to compete in the inaugural African School Sports Championship.

Kola Daniel, Special Assistant, Media, Office of the Director-General, National Sports Commission (NSC), made this known in a news release on Thursday.

According to him, the competition will take place from July 26 to Aug. 5.

He said that Nigeria would feature in 10 sports, including athletics, swimming, football, taekwondo and beach canoe.

Daniel said that Nigeria would also feature in Badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, cycling and table tennis.

He quoted the Director-General of NSC, Bukola Olopade, as describing the event as a milestone in Nigeria’s grassroots sports journey.

“This championship means a lot to us because it is about planting seeds.

“These student-athletes are ambassadors of our future.

“We are deliberate in creating pathways from the classroom to the global stage,” Daniel quoted Olopade as saying.

He said that the team was earlier camped at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, for training.

According to him, the competition organised by the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa aims to instil Olympic values in African youths and provide a structured platform for talent identification, integration and development at the grassroots.

In line with guidelines, all participating athletes submitted valid school certificates, while the NSC, in collaboration with the Nigeria Olympic Committee, secured paternal authorisations for all underage athletes in coordination with their families, he said.

Daniel said that Nigeria’s participation in the tournament reflected Federal Government’s broader commitment to grassroots development. (NAN)

Edited by Ijeoma Popoola