MTN Awards Golden Tickets to 10 Rising Stars at CHAMPS Season 4
Extends MoC partnership, targets Los Angeles 2028 podium
MTN Nigeria has officially ushered in a new era for grassroots athletics with the launch of MTN CHAMPS Season 4 BT6, held at the MTN Rooftop in Lagos.
The highlight of the event was the unveiling of ten newly discovered athletes who received ‘Golden Tickets’ to join the Making of Champions (MoC) Athletics Academy.
The induction of these ten athletes, scouted during the rigorous trials of Season 3, expands the Academy’s roster to a record 30 elite talents.
While earlier seasons focused primarily on talent discovery, Season 4 marks a strategic shift toward ‘Talent Development’, designed to transform promising athletes into podium contenders for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Among the new inductees are Odunola Aderemi, Chidinma Esemonu, Destiny Reuben, Emmanuel Akolo, Kehinde Seriki, Michael Aniche, Mighty Okunola, Nneoma Okonkwo, Rebecca Enilolobo, and Victory.
Their journeys reflect resilience and determination, with stories such as Esemonu overcoming economic hardship in Imo State and Reuben rising from local trials in Port Harcourt to dominate the U-14 sprint category.
To reinforce this long-term vision, MTN announced a landmark three-year extension of its partnership with MoC, securing Seasons 4, 5, and 6. This commitment provides a stable runway for athletes to prepare for international competition and aligns with Nigeria’s national sports agenda.
‘With Season 4 of MTN CHAMPS, one of our primary objectives is to ensure that the talent we discover today is standing on the podium at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games,’ said Yaya Ibrahim, Chief Technical Officer of MTN Nigeria. ‘Nigeria has the raw potential; MTN is proud to provide the structured pathway to turn that potential into global excellence.’
Season 4 will kick off this month, coinciding with the traditional inter-house sports calendar in secondary schools. The format includes three regional qualifiers across the South, North, and West zones, culminating in a prestigious Grand Finale.
