Team Nigeria Names 96-Athlete Squad for African U18/U20 Championships in Abeokuta
With the countdown to the 3rd African U18/U20 Athletics Championships underway, Team Nigeria has unveiled a formidable 96-athlete squad set to compete on home soil from July 16–20 at the MKO Abiola International Stadium, Abeokuta.
The delegation is split across both age categories:
U18 Boys: 24 athletes
U18 Girls: 18 athletes
U20 Men: 30 athletes
U20 Women: 24 athletes
Supporting the team are 22 coaches, 8 medical staff, and 8 additional personnel, including physiotherapists, psychologists, media officers, and logistics coordinators.
As part of final preparations, Nigeria’s U20 sprint relay quartet — Lucy Nwankwo, Success Oyibu, Anita Itohan, and Chika Bakwunye — fine-tuned their baton exchanges at the recent AFN/Dynamic Athletics Meet, signaling readiness for continental competition.
Officials from the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) confirmed that all athletes have undergone intensive training camps and performance assessments, with the goal of reclaiming continental dominance from South Africa, who won the first two editions in 2019 (Côte d’Ivoire) and 2023 (Ndola, Zambia).
With over 40 countries expected to participate, the Abeokuta championship promises to be a showcase of Africa’s next generation of track and field stars. Nigeria, as host nation, will be aiming to leverage home advantage and inspire future Olympians.
