Behold our rising stars! Fiaku and Eyakpobeyan shine bright at National U18 and U20 Trials in Kaduna

Nigeria's wealth of track and field talents cannot be over-emphasized as discoveries emerge yearly at the grassroots level. This time, it is at the ongoing National U18 and U20 Trials in Kaduna.

The two-day trials is to select the country's representatives at the African U18 and U20 Championships in Zambia next month, which has brought to the limelight athletes that can dominate the continent at their age group level.

Goodluck Fiaku of Anambra State, cleared an impressive height of 2.05m to win the U18/U20 boy's high jump final.

Justin Jimoh came second with a clearance of 1.95m, the same height as Precious Irivi in third place.

Fiaku is a raw talent that needs to be well-groomed and nurtured, as he's a big prospect for the future.

Sunday Isreal representing Delta State, was meters above his peers, clocking a new Personal Best (PB) of 10.48s (1.4) to win the boy's U18 100m final.

In second place was Lucky Daje also of Delta State with 10.60s, and Caleb John from Ogun State finished third in 10.76s.

Justina Eyakpobeyan ran an outstanding race to win the girl's U20 100m final in a massive PB of 11.35s (1.4), far ahead of Faith Okwose in 11.64s and Stella Oyebode in 11.79s.

Eyakpobeyan and Okwose were finalists at the 2022 National Sports Festival in Asaba, in which the latter finished with a silver medal behind Tima Godbless.

Good to see Eyakpobeyan get revenge in style, which bodes for a healthy rivalry in the future.

Not many saw this coming, but there's a new kid on the block in the boy's U20 category.

Kola Musa stunned Kanyinsola Ajayi and Musbau Adebisi in the boy's U20 final B, winning the race in a brilliant PB of 10.35s (1.0).

Ajayi, who won the Lagos Athletics Series in February, settled for second place in 10.36s, and Adebisi (bronze medallist at the 2022 National Sports Festival) was third in 10.90s.

What's more exceptional about his victory is that his time was faster than Ebuka Monday's 10.67s (1.8) in final A, Enitan Olabode in second place with 10.74s, and Nosayaba Oniyawu in 10.90s.

Taiye Ayenuro dominated the girl's U18 100m final, racing to a time of 12.12s, ahead of Pristina Ochonogor in 12.19s and Miracle Ezechukwu in 12.29s.

Ofuoku Nyerhouwo of Delta State with a throw of 49.89m, won the boy's U18 Discus event. Chinedu Abujei of Delta State was second in a distance of 42.89m, while Paul Kelvin also representing Delta State, finished third with 35.23m.

Ruqqayah Kemi Mustapha of Kwara State won the U20 girl's Discus event throwing her implement to a distance of 40.64m.

Temitope Ademola of Delta State was victorious in the U18 category with a throw of 39.05m.

Ebube Ofili representing Delta State, won the boy's U18 javelin throw final with a distance of 51.21m, Emmanuel Ogbuagu (Kwara) came second with 50.70m, and Emmanuel Elijah (Cross Rivers) third with 43.77m.