Ezechichiri has qualified to represent Nigeria at the African Youth Championship coming up later in the year
Fiaku Ezechichiri, the 16-year-old sensational high jumper, has emerged as the overall best at the just-concluded AFN All-Comers U-18-U-20 athletics trials and competition in Kaduna.
He lept to a new personal best of 2.05 metres. Ezechichiri, who is the current national school athletics high jump champion, was the youngest at the competition, organised among all three categories.
Coach Johnny Igboka, who led the seven-man team to Kaduna, told journalists in Awka on Monday that the wonder kid had qualified to represent Nigeria at the African Youth Championship (AYC), coming up later in the year.
Igboka said Eze Peace competed in the female U-18 category of shotput and javelin events and finished in second and third place, respectively.
Chukwukere Gold competed in the 400 metres and 800 metres U-18 category, finishing in fifth and sixth positions, respectively.
He also said that Kenechukwu Nwabueze, who competed in the 800 metres and 1,500 metres events, finished in a surprising third and fourth position.
According to him, Lucy Ime came third in the triple jump event in her age group, after leaping a distance of 9.94m.
The coach said Chidi Bright came in fourth in the 400 metres heat but was not selected to run in the final because of the technical error that affected most athletes.
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Igboka described the Kaduna outing as an immense success.
He said that the event provided the opportunity for the budding athletes to compete on a national scale and enrich their exposure.
He commended the Anambra Sports Development Commission, under the chairmanship of Patrick-Estate Onyedum, for ensuring their participation in all the invitations so far received this year.
He said that Onyedum’s commitment was already yielding dividends and “truly raising a generation of champions in such a short time”.
“The AFN All Comers was a huge success.
“Already, we have a national high jump champion in Ezechichiri, who was the youngest in Kaduna, and he will compete for the country.
“We also have others who did well in their various events.
“We shall go back and intensify our training because these are champions in the making.
“I want to thank the commission for giving us the opportunity,” Igboka said.
