By Chris Benson
Anambra-born 16 year old Fiaku Goodness Ezechukwuchiri has emerged champion of the High jump event.
Her emergence was at the just concluded National School Sports Festival (NSSF) World School Athletics trials held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Ezechukwuchiri is an SS3 student of Ide Secondary School, Enugu-Ukwu in Njikoka Local Government area of Anambra State.
According to the Head Coach, Anambra Athletics team, Mr. Johnny Igboka, Head Ezechukwuchiri lept a height of 2:07 metres in the U18 category of the trials.
Mr. Igboka revealed that Peace Eze; another budding athlete from Anambra, came second in the U-18 Javelin event while Ekene Nwabueze finished fourth in the U-15 1, 500 metres event.
He said that with such outstanding performance, Ezechukwuchiri is guaranteed a place in the Nigerian national team to the World School Athletics Championship later in the year.
The Head Coach thanked the Anambra Sports Development Commission under the chairmanship of Patrick-Estate Onyedum for affording the students the opportunity to participate at the trial.
He emphasized that it was gladdening that Onyedum had decided to revamp School Sports which had been moribund in Anambra for years, adding that grassroots sports remained critical to the success of the sector.
In a swift reaction, Mr. Onyedum pointed out that Anambra state was blessed with millions of talented athletes and that the Commission under his watch, will support them by providing the platforms for them to showcase their talents.
He noted that he had personally ensured that the State participated in the trials, stating that the success story of Ezechukwuchiri was a pleasant feedback to him.
According to him; “we want to transform sports and the starting point is grassroots development and revival of school sports.
“That is why we ensured that the three selected athletes go to Ogun State to compete for space. His qualification at the World School trials is a welcome development and a sign of what is to come under the government of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo,” he stressed.
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