Cyclists representing Edo and Enugu states have emerged winners in the women’s and men’s categories of the fifth edition of the Abuja Bikers Race, held in Abuja on Saturday, as organisers and officials of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria renewed calls for grassroots talent development.

Godwin Osaretin of Edo State won the women’s category, while Isah Momoh, representing Enugu State, clinched the men’s title in a competition that attracted participants from nine states.

Osaretin, 18, covered 80 kilometres in eight laps of 10 kilometres each, attributing her victory to hard work, teamwork and the support of her coach.

Currently training in the national camp under the supervision of national coaches, the young cyclist said her ambition was to become an Olympic champion.

“I’m looking forward to be an Olympic champion,” she said, adding that she intended to achieve the goal through hard work and sacrifice.

Osaretin explained that she had been training with the national team following an earlier cycling competition in Abuja on October 4, where her team emerged victorious.

In the men’s category, Isah Momoh completed the 110-kilometre race in two hours and 52 minutes, describing his victory as an exciting moment and acknowledging the contributions of fellow competitors.

He said consistent training had strengthened his confidence to compete beyond his home state, adding that he would give his best if given the opportunity to represent Nigeria at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

“It’s all about training. When you train, you believe in yourself, so you don’t have any doubts. You can go anywhere and compete,” he said.

Vice President of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria and Executive Director of the Sports Council, Dr Habu Abdurrahman, commended the organisers, Abuja Bikers, for providing a platform to identify emerging talents.

Abdurrahman said competitions at the grassroots level were essential to discovering young athletes and preparing them for national and international competitions.

“Catch them young is the key. By engaging young athletes in this type of competition, you can identify talent and move them from the grassroots,” he said.

He added that the federation would work with promising cyclists, stressing that performances at competitions would help technical officials determine athletes ready for higher-level challenges.

Founder of Abuja Bikers Race, Marian Oluwapidan, said the event was meeting its objectives by expanding participation and encouraging young people to take up cycling.

She noted that the fifth edition featured schoolchildren, whose participation offered opportunities for the federation to identify and nurture potential athletes.

According to her, professional coaches from the federation were already training young cyclists, while additional competitions were being planned to strengthen their development.

Oluwapidan said the initiative was driven by the need to broaden Nigeria’s representation in cycling at major international competitions, including the Olympic Games.

“Everybody must not play football. Everybody must not do basketball. People want to ride, so let’s encourage it because cycling is fun,” she said.

She also pointed to Abuja’s roads as an opportunity to promote the sport, arguing that the country had young talents who could excel if given the necessary support and exposure.

The fifth edition of the Abuja Bikers Race underscored the importance of sustained investment in grassroots sports as Nigeria seeks to discover and prepare athletes capable of competing at the highest international level.