More World-Class Athletes Support Athletic Heat Anniversary Meet
The Athletic Heat 10th Anniversary Meet has received a further boost, with world-class athletes and members of the international athletics community making financial contributions towards the milestone event scheduled for November 7 in Lagos.
Among the latest international supporters are reigning World Relays 4x100m gold medallist Max Thomas of the United States, Kenya’s Dorcus Ewoi, the 2025 World Athletics Championships 1500m silver medallist, and British indoor 400m champion Yemi Mary, a multiple-time World and Olympic medallist.
Thomas, who clocked 9.90 seconds in the 100m this season, has contributed towards the competition, which will celebrate a decade of Athletic Heat’s efforts to promote Nigerian athletics and create opportunities for athletes to showcase their talents.
Ewoi’s contribution further underlines the international support for the anniversary meet, while Mary has also joined the growing list of athletes backing the initiative.
The support extends across Africa, with Ghanaian athlete Mustapha Bopkin and Côte d’Ivoire’s African 200m champion Cheickna Traoré also contributing towards the event.
Coach TJ Ossai of BFTTA Club in the United Kingdom, a nine-time World Masters sprint champion, has equally thrown his weight behind the initiative. The mother of rising young sprinter Jake Odey-Jordan has also offered support, highlighting the role coaches and families play in creating opportunities for athletes.
They join a growing list of Nigerian athletics stars who have lent their support to the anniversary meet. The group includes national high jump record holder Temitope Adeshina, African indoor 400m record holder Ella Onojuvwevwo, Nigeria’s fastest man in history, Kanyinsola Ajayi, and former Nigerian athletics star Wilson Ogbeide.
Their backing reflects growing support for Athletic Heat’s efforts to sustain competitive opportunities for athletes in Nigeria and contribute to the development of track and field.
Scheduled for November 7, 2026, at the YabaTech Sports Complex in Lagos, the meet will mark 10 years of Athletic Heat’s contribution to Nigerian athletics. It will also provide a platform for athletes to compete, win prizes and connect with the wider athletics community.
Athletic Heat has expressed gratitude to the athletes, coaches, parents and other supporters who have contributed to the anniversary celebration, describing their backing as a vote of confidence in the initiative’s vision for Nigerian track and field.
With preparations continuing, the organisers have urged athletes to complete their registration ahead of the competition.
