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2,056 Athletes To Participate In MTN Champs Season 3 In Benin

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No fewer than 2,056 athletes are expected to participate in the MTN Champs Season 3 in Benin.

The founder and Chief Executive Officer, Making of Champions, Bambo Akani, disclosed this in Benin at a press conference for the event.

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He said that Season 1 of the competition also took place in Benin and talents were discovered.

Akani added that some of the talented athletes discovered from the competitions are currently enjoying full scholarships in different schools in the United States.

READ ALSO:NPFL25: Bendel Insurance FC Beat Enyimba Int’l FC 1-0

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He said that he had the confidence that those talented athletes that have been discovered would do the country proud at international competitions.

Speaking also, the Senior Manager Sponsorship and Go To Market (GTM), Osaze Ebueku, said MTN could spot rough diamonds and refine them to become world champions.

He said that they were on the journey for a long haul with the view of working with their partners to elevate the standard of athletics in the country.

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On his part, Edo State governor, Monday Okpebholo, expressed his administration’s commitment to youth empowerment through grassroots sports development.

Represented by Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, the state Sports Commission Chairman, the governor stated that his administration, alongside his deputy, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, shares the vision of MTN CHAMPS in identifying and nurturing young athletic talents.

READ ALSO: NPFL25: Strategize On Enhancing Team Performance, Enabulele Charges Bendel Insurance Management

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He further emphasized the championship’s significance as a crucial platform for young athletes.

He said: “By providing opportunities for secondary school students to compete at the highest level, this championship not only promotes sports excellence but also instills discipline, teamwork, and resilience among our youth.”

Acknowledging, MTN’s commitment to sports development in Nigeria, he noted that the company’s investment demonstrates a clear understanding of the role sports play in youth empowerment and economic growth.

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“This partnership exemplifies the power of collaboration between the public and private sectors in shaping the future of our young athletes.

“Edo State will continue to position itself as a hub for sports development, as the government dedicates itself to fostering an environment that encourages talent discovery and nurtures future champions”, the governor added.

He, then, urged participating athletes in the forthcoming event to seize the opportunity, give their best, and represent their schools and states with pride.

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Tobi Amusan Hits Season’s Best At Paris Diamond League

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Nigeria sprint icon, Tobi Amusan has emerged as the winner of the Diamond League trophy for a third consecutive time.

World record holder Tobi Amusan delivered a powerful performance at the 2025 Paris Diamond League on Friday, recording a season-best 12.24 seconds in the women’s 100m hurdles to secure a strong second-place finish.

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This marks the Nigerian star’s second-fastest time ever, trailing only her world record of 12.12s set in 2022.

Amusan surged in the final stretch, narrowing the gap on the USA’s Grace Stark, who had an explosive start and clinched victory with a lifetime best and meet record of 12.21s—making her the fifth-fastest woman in history over the distance. Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent followed closely in third, clocking 12.30s.

READ ALSO: Amusan Fails To Reach Olympic Women’s 100m Hurdles Final

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The race in Paris was a thrilling continuation of Amusan’s resurgent 2025 campaign. After beginning the season with a pair of fourth-place finishes in Xiamen (12.74s) and Shaoxing (12.66s), she rebounded in style, winning the Rabat leg of the Diamond League in 12.45s—a season-best at the time and a meet record.

Paris marked Amusan’s fourth Diamond League appearance this season, and the consistency she’s building suggests she is rounding into peak form just as major international competitions approach.

She faced a stacked field that included the likes of former world silver medallist Keni Harrison, Jamaican rising talent Ackera Nugent, Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska, Dutch national champion Nadine Visser, Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas, and the in-form Diamond League leader, Grace Stark.

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Despite the fierce competition, Amusan showcased her experience and rising form, finishing strong and scoring valuable points in the race toward the Diamond League Finals in Zurich.

She now sits fourth on the Diamond League leaderboard with 10 points, trailing Stark (23), Danielle Williams (15), and Marione Fourie (12).
(VANGUARD)

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Enabulele Hails Edo-born Athletes’ International Feats

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The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, has expressed delight over the outstanding performance of Edo athletes representing Nigeria on the international stage.

Enabulele, while describing the athletes as worthy ambassadors of the state and the country in general, singled out the impressive participation of seven Edo kickboxing athletes in Team Nigeria at the African Union Kickboxing Championship in Cameroon.

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In a congratulatory message signed by his media aide, Edoko Wilson Edoko, Enabulele lauded the accomplishments of Flora Ugwunwa and Christopher Michael, who clinched gold medals at the 2025 World Para Athletics (WPA) Grand Prix in Tunis, Tunisia.

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INFO DAILY reports that Ugwunwa bagged gold in the F54 women’s shot put and discus events, while Michael emerged victorious in the T11 men’s 100m event.

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He said: “The remarkable performance of the country’s para-athletes in Tunisia, where Nigeria finished second overall out of 42 participating nations with 10 gold, 6 silver, and 3 bronze medals, is highly commendable.”

The Edo sports boss, while recalling the impressive performance of Team Edo during the recently concluded National Sports Festival (Ogun 2024), where Edo kickboxers secured 20 gold medals, said the feat which earned many of them national call-ups.

READ ALSO: Priotize Okpebholo’s ‘Catch Them Young’ Initiative, Enabulele Charges Sports Association Chairmen

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Enabulele reaffirmed the Commission’s unwavering commitment to grassroots sports development and consistent support for para-athletes and other promising talents who continue to bring pride to Edo State and Nigeria.

“I’m proud of our athletes. Flora, Christopher, and our kickboxing team have done exceptionally well. This is what we want to see—Edo athletes in large numbers representing Nigeria at global events,” he emphasized.

Enabulele added that the achievements of Edo athletes reflect the deliberate investments in sports development by the current administration.

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Full List: Maresca No Longer Needs Nine Players At Chelsea

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Chelsea are preparing for another major squad overhaul this summer, with as many as nine players set to leave Stamford Bridge.

New manager Enzo Maresca is keen to trim the squad further, targeting players who no longer fit into his long-term plans.

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According to BBC Sport, the Italian tactician has identified nine players who are now available for transfer.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Chelsea Women Dance To Viral ‘Shake Body’ Song After FA Cup Win

The players reportedly on the exit list include Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi, Djordje Petrovic, Armando Broja, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka and Lesley Ugochukwu.

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Sterling and Félix were both omitted from Chelsea’s squad for the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup in the United States. Sterling, who spent last season on loan at Arsenal, struggled to make an impression at the Emirates and failed to secure a permanent move.

Félix, meanwhile, was on loan at AC Milan from January until the end of the campaign, but the Serie A club have reportedly decided against making the deal permanent.

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