By Uzor Odigbo
For the first time in five years of Eyoto Sports Academy athletics competitions, female sprinters have doubled in registration than their male counterparts a few days to the competition in Benin City.
According to the technical director of the competition Coach Mutiu Oluwa, out of 700 participating AthIetes over 57% of female athletes have registered to feature in the competition while lest than 40% of male athletes.
Oluwa said the development was not totally surprising as some of the AthIetes are coming from schools with more female enrollment than male.
Although, aside the 100/200m events, boys are more in long jump, high jump, quarter-Mile and throws.
He reiterated that last year, AthIetes that participated in Eyoto Competitions ran 13 heats for girls and 9 heats for boys, adding that the 5th edition may almost take the same pattern as athIetes registration is still in progress.
On athIetes screening, Oluwa said everything has been put in place to ensure proper and seamless screening of young talents for the competition.
Also, last edition, ex-international Friday Enoye, the treasurer of Eyoto Sports Academy Executives said in a chat that “Any youth competition devoid of adequate screening is doomed, and not talents discovery anymore'”.
He assured that screening of AthIetes will always take top priority.
The 5th edition of the competition which takes place at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City on December 5th-6th is expected to draw AthIetes from 50 schools in Edo State and evirons.
Recall that dozens of athIetes produced by Eyoto competitions are on scholarships and have risen to represent Edo State and Nigeria in International AthIetics competitions among them is Christina Ochologor who competed last in long jump at World junior in Peru and the 2024 Olympics in France.