Mobil schools sports final gets March 7 date

THE postponed grand finale of the Akwa Ibom State/NNPC/MPN Schools Athletics Championships will now hold on March 7 in the main bowl of the Akwa Ibom International Stadium, the organisers have revealed.

  The Consultant to the project, Paul Bassey, told journalists in Uyo on Friday that the final will now hold on March 7, while the heats and semifinals will be held the day before in the same venue.

  In Akwa Ibom to meet with stakeholders over the forthcoming event, Bassey confirmed that after meeting with the Manager Government and Public Affairs, QIT, Regina Udobong, the state director of sports, Coach Aniedi Dickson, Stadium management and the Chairman of Sports coordinators, Omon Bassey, “…….we are set to run.”

  The final, earlier scheduled for February 7, was put off due to the forthcoming elections and the non-resumption of schools in Akwa Ibom.   “Now that schools are in session and the elections have been put forward, we have decided to hold the final on March 7 even as we start preparations for the 2015 edition,” Bassey said.

  A unique feature of this year’s edition is that the students will be required to report to camp three days before to “acclamatise.”

  Bassey said: “Unlike previous editions, all the 500 students, who have qualified for this year’s final from the zones will be required to run, jump and throw in the appropriate athletics gear. It, therefore, becomes very necessary to get the students acquainted with the use of spike shoes as an example before the final.

  “When we went to the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar in 2013, the students were so awed by the infrastructure. 

“You can imagine what will happen if we drop them in Uyo without introducing them, in advance, to the beauty and splendour of the magnificent edifice, not to talk of getting them to perform therein. 

  “These are secondary school boys and girls who have never been to the stadium or the like before and who have spent their time running and jumping with bare feet.”

  The camp opens March 3 at Comprehensive Secondary School Ikot Oku Ubo Uyo and students are expected to arrive by 3.00 p.m prompt for registration and collection of kits.