The Umuahia Township Stadium came alive on Friday as over 1,500 young athletes from Imo, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Abia States kicked off the CLIMM South-East Under-16 Track and Field Championship — a vibrant showcase of speed, strength, and promise.

The championship features a range of track and field events including 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1,500m races, relays, javelin, discus, long jump, triple jump, and shot put — all designed to unearth the next generation of athletic stars from the South-East.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, Lee Okoroafo, representative of the five former Nigerian athletes sponsoring the event, lamented the region’s decline in athletics dominance since the golden days of the 1980s and 1990s.

“The South-East used to dominate Nigeria’s athletics scene, but today, we are nowhere to be found,” he said, emphasizing that CLIMM’s mission is to revive the region’s sporting legacy and guide youths away from crime through sports.

He added that some of the raw talents discovered in previous editions are already representing Nigeria and international clubs, describing the success stories as proof that grassroots investment works.

The Abia State Director of Sports, Obioma George, also encouraged the young athletes to make the most of the championship:

“This is your opportunity to become the next great sporting legend from the South-East. Abia, under Governor Alex Otti, has truly become the new home of sports competitions.”

💭 Opinion: Rekindling the South-East’s Sporting Spirit

The CLIMM Championship isn’t just a competition — it’s a revival of dreams. For too long, the South-East’s once-vibrant athletic culture has faded, leaving behind nostalgia instead of new champions. Yet, seeing hundreds of young athletes filling the tracks with energy and ambition signals hope — a reminder that the region’s greatness can rise again if properly nurtured.

Grassroots sports like this are the true foundation of national pride. Before a Tobi Amusan breaks world records or an Ese Brume leaps to global glory, there must first be a platform — like CLIMM — that believes in the potential of a 16-year-old running barefoot in Umuahia.

If governments, corporate bodies, and communities continue to support such initiatives, the South-East could once again become Nigeria’s powerhouse in athletics, producing stars that will carry the nation’s flag on the world stage.

Because beyond the medals, what truly matters is the spark of belief — that a young runner from Abia or a jumper from Enugu can dream, train, and one day make history.