The Delta Government has pledged to partner with MTN Champs Season 2 and the  Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to discover the abundant talents in the state.

MTN Champs is a secondary school competition designed to ignite the talent in the youths aged between 14 and 21 years.

The 4-day athletics talent hunt which  kicks-off on Saturday, February 17, will hold at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Delta.

Dr Isaac Agbateyiniro, the State Commissioner for Youths Development, who stated this while addressing newsmen on Friday, in Asaba, said that the state government was committed to sports development.

He said that the MTN Champs competition was a process which would span through to more seasons.

The commissioner said that it is aimed at catching the students young and giving them the opportunity to discover their talents.

He said that it was not surprising that the organisers of the competition, MTN  chose Delta in its season two competition, adding that Delta remained a home of talents, particularly in sports.

“Let me commend the organisers of this event, “MTN Champs”, sometime it was season one, today it is season two.

“As a state, Sports development occupies the mind of my principal, Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori, who had encapsulated sports development in his M.O.R.E Agenda.

Also speaking, Mr Tonobok Okowa,  President, Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), said that the competition would also help prepare athletes for African championships.

He said that athletics trials would not only help at discovering  young athletes, but would also help to train them, particularly the home based for the coming African games and  Olympics.

According to him, AFN is abreast with the activities and happenings with the MTN talent hunt in athletics and is willing to support it.

Mr Friday Okuwe, Senior Manager, Brand, Media and Sponsorship, MTN-Nigeria, said MTN Champs Season one came with lots of  expositions, adding that no fewer than 7,000 athletes participated then.

Okuwe  said that it was part of its corporate responsibilities, targeted at reawakening the talent in the young adults from the grassroots.

He said that no fewer than 1,000 students would participate in the competition in Delta.

According to him, about 100 schools have enlisted for the competition in the state out of which top 10 winners will be selected and taken to an academy for further training.

He noted that the winners would be exposed to other opportunities that could earn them scholarships at the end to make them world champions.

“MTN Champs is  first in class of athletics  event, where MTN is partnering on making  champions and future Olympians who will shine on international stage and stand a chance to win scholarship.

“We know that Nigeria is full of raw talents, we need to give them the right platform and the opportunity to showcase their skills and be discovered.

“This is what MTN Champs is all about and it is  modeled after the Jamaican secondary school championship to train them in athletics.

He said that the athletics trials for the Season two will hold in Asaba, Ibadan, Kaduna and Port Harcourt.

NAN reports that the students will feature in 100m, 200m, 400m, long jump and relay at the five-day event. (NAN)