Famous Nigerian sprints star, Utitofon Nkantah, nee Ukoh MFR, has praised the grassroots athletics development programme that has been sustained by Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) in the past 15 years in Akwa Ibom State.

Deaconess Nkantah was reacting to the news that Comfort Anietie James, a product of the AKS/NNPC/MPN Schools Athletics Championships, got a silver medal in the 1,500 metres event of the just concluded All Nigeria Athletics Championships in Warri.

“For her to compete with seniors and emerge the second best in the land is a great testimony to the foundation that was laid by MPN, Operators of the NNPC/MPN Joint Venture,” said Deaconess Nkantah, who is also the president of Athletics Technical Officials in Akwa Ibom.

At the Warri trials, Comfort ran four minutes 36 seconds to pick a silver medal and was heralded for her feat as a great potential in a distance that Nigeria is yet to control on the African continent.

A former student of Government Secondary School Ikot Nya in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area, the 17-year-old was the Mobil Championship champion for two years in 2013 and 2014. And was one of the beneficiaries of the 2013 Calabar camping and training experience.