Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is among top personalities expected to grace the maiden South-East Sports Foundation athletics competition slated for the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, on March 19.
The event, originally billed for March 13, was moved forward to allow Enugu Rangers honour a league match in Enugu.
The South-East Sports Foundation is a pet project of US-based former Nigerian athlete, Victor Okorie. Okorie, who won silver at the COJA 2003 African Games in Abuja, has a scholarship programme for athletes and also trains some Nigerian coaches at the National Institute For Sports in Lagos.
An official of the South-East Sports Foundation said on Tuesday that Governor Ugwuanyi would lead some other state executive council members to grace the competition, which is the first of its kind in the eastern states since Imo ’98 National Sports Festival.
Also expected at the event is the commissioner for sports in Enugu State, as well as Directors of Sports from Anambra, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi and the hosts Enugu.
According to the financier, Okorie, athletes are expected to arrive the Coal City on March 18 to compete the following day in the 100m, 200m, 400m and the jumps.
“It is an opportunity for the athletes to test their fitness level ahead the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival in April, as well as the Tokyo Olympics,” Okorie stated.
Meanwhile, two Nigeria-based hip hop and reggae artist, Leo Smith and BadManQ are expected to team up with Nigerian-American afrobeat artist, E’Major, to thrill athletes at the competition.
