Day 2 of the MTN Champs Uyo Grand Final saw continued competition at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, with several academy athletes returning to the track to show their progress. Among them was Alvin Onyeama, a sprinter from Abia State and member of the MTN Athletics Academy, who competed in the 100m heat, recording a time of 10.88s. His personal best remains 10.62s.
Onyeama first emerged during Season 1 of the MTN Champs in 2023, when he competed in the youth division at the Uyo leg of the series, winning the 100m and 200m events. His performance led to his selection into the MTN Academy, where he has been training for the past nine months.
“Being in the academy is not easy,” Onyeama said. “You have to train a lot and sacrifice a lot of your time to achieve your goals, but it’s been made easier because of the hard work of our coach, Coach Deji Aliu and training alongside two-time Olympian, Emmanuel Ojei.”
His mother, Abasiama Onyeama, was in attendance to support her son, along with his younger brother. She spoke about the adjustments the family had to make when Alvin left their home in Uyo to begin training in Lagos.
“When he was selected to join the team in Lagos, we were a bit apprehensive because he had never left home here in Uyo,” she said. “We’re a bit relaxed now because we’ve seen how he’s improving as he’s training in Lagos.”
Commenting on the broader impact of the experience, she said: “There’s a lot of pressure to do well, and that extends to the family too. But sports have helped shape his character. Right from birth, he’s always been disciplined. This is building on that discipline.”
Addressing other parents, she encouraged them to be open to allowing their children to pursue both academics and sports. “If your child is invested in sports, support them as much as possible. Give them the opportunity to try it out and see if this is their path in life.”
MTN Champs, Nigeria’s largest grassroots track and field competition, was created to discover and develop young athletic talent across Nigeria. Since launching in 2023, it has uncovered over 15,000 athletes from more than 900 secondary schools nationwide. The initiative is structured to not only identify emerging talents but also support them long-term through its athletics academy, which provides coaching, mentorship, and educational scholarships.
MTN Champs continues to offer young athletes across Nigeria a platform to compete and develop. For athletes like Onyeama and many others, the competition is an opportunity to demonstrate growth and pursue careers in athletics with the backing of structured support.
