MTN Champs: MoC Academy debuts with eight medals at tourney

Making their first appearance at the MTN CHAMPS competition, MoC Athletics Academy showcased exceptional talent as they secured an impressive haul of eight medals at the Benin Athletics Classics, the season-opening leg of MTN CHAMPS Season 3.

Seventeen athletes representing the Lagos-based academy competed under the banner of ‘Team MTN’ during the three-day event held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium and UNIBEN Sports Complex. The newcomers captured two gold, three silver, and three bronze medals across various categories.

Team MTN’s dominance was particularly evident in the senior 400m events, where they claimed both gold medals on offer. Benjamin Magaji delivered a standout performance in the men’s race, clinching gold with a new personal best of 48.04s in the final, having already set a then-personal best of 48.23s during the heats.

His teammate, Miracle Uwem Donald, replicated this success in the women’s event, securing gold with an impressive time of 55.05s. Donald later finished fifth in the 200m final with a time of 25.04s, demonstrating her versatility across sprint distances.

Jane Onyeneho added to Team MTN’s medal collection in the senior women’s 200m, winning silver in the final with a time of 24.58s after qualifying with 24.47s in the heats. Meanwhile, Showers Ushie competed in both the senior men’s 100m and 200m events, advancing to the 200m semifinals and anchoring the senior men’s 4x100m relay team to a silver medal with a time of 41.63s.

In the junior category, Ezekiel Asuquo showed remarkable improvement in the men’s 400m, finishing fourth in a competitive final with a lifetime best of 47.46s, significantly bettering his qualifying time of 48.92s. Asuquo also contributed to both junior and senior men’s 4x100m relay teams, helping secure silver and bronze medals respectively.

Stephen Adejumo set personal bests in both the junior men’s 200m and 400m events. He posted 49.84s in the 400m heats before breaking the 49-second barrier for the first time in his career with a time of 48.99s to finish sixth in the final.

Multiple personal bests were achieved throughout the competition, with Toheebat Jimoh recording a new mark of 25.47s in the 200m heats and 57.32s in her competitive 400m debut. Alvin Onyeama broke the 11-second barrier twice in the junior boys’ 100m, clocking 10.97s in the heats and 10.91s in the semifinals before finishing fourth in the final. He later anchored the junior boys’ 4x100m squad to a bronze medal.

Lucy Nwankwo reached the finals in both the junior women’s 100m and 200m categories, finishing seventh in the former with 12.23s and sixth in the latter with a lifetime best of 24.84s. She was also part of the junior women’s 4x100m relay team that won silver with a time of 48.29s.

In the youth category, Chizoba Onyemauwa impressed in both the girls’ 200m and 400m events, setting personal bests and making the finals in both disciplines. She finished fourth in the 200m with a lifetime best of 26.23s before claiming bronze in the 400m with a time of 58.89s.

Team MTN’s relay squads contributed significantly to their medal tally, securing five medals across different categories. The senior men’s 4x100m team of Ushie, Onyeama, Magaji, and Asuquo won silver with 41.63s, while the junior men’s 4x100m team of Oyewale, Asuquo, Adejumo, and Onyeama claimed bronze with 42.91s.

The junior women’s 4x100m quartet of Nwankwo, Ogbonna, Muhammed-Raji, and Jimoh added another silver medal with 48.29s, while the mixed 4x400m relay team of Obi, Adejumo, Joseph, and Jimoh secured bronze with a time of 3:36.01.

With this impressive debut performance, MoC Athletics Academy has established itself as a formidable force in Nigerian athletics, showcasing the depth of talent being developed at the Lagos-based institution.