Season 3 of the MTN Champs, a leading grassroots athlete tournament in Africa, will kick off in Benin City on Thursday, July 13th, at two venues in the historic city, platinumnewsng.com is reporting.
The tourney, which witnessed a record-breaking athletes registration of over 2000 athletes this season, will be hosted at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium and the University of Benin City sports complex.
In an official tournament Press Conference held in Benin Wednesday afternoon, the organisers, consisting of Champions and sponsors MTN, announced that the event will kick off on Thursday, 13th March 2025, to Saturday, 15th March 2025. The Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium will host all cadets athletes (under 14), junior athletes (Under 20) and senior athletes throughout the course of the tourney including the grand finale, while the University of Benin sports complex will host the youth athletes (under 17) on Thursday and Friday.
The MTN representative, Mr Osazuwa, a senior Manager with the organisation, brought goodwill messages from the top international brand and also highlighted the core ideas behind the event.
“This is the third edition, the first edition was held here, and it is not by fluke. If you recall the story and the glory when we talk about sports in this country, and anytime we go for the national athletics tournament, Edo State will always come tops. It shows consistency and also shows the involvement of key stakeholders in helping develop sports.”
“MTN is doing what they are doing today because we have the gift of spotting diamonds in the rough. We identify the talents in these communities, support them, help to groom them and also project them to the world because that way, they can fulfil their potential.”
“This helps us, even in line with government objectives, to drive the policies of our sports commission, which is, of course, very well articulated; we cannot but be part of that journey. We are happy to be in Edo state to continue that journey, this dream has come to stay. What we want to do ultimately is to be a part of a story which will develop world champions, not just identify and develop them but to put them on that world stage.”
Making of Champions Academy athletes who were selected from Seasons 1 and 2 of the MTN Champs would compete in their first official competition since joining the track club in Lagos during the course of the event.
