Fosla Academy and JSS Hajj Camp have emerged overall winners at the maiden Inter-Area Council Junior and Senior Secondary Schools Relay Race organised by the Abuja Chapter of the Association of Former Female Athletes of Nigeria (AFFAN).

Fosla Academy won the senior 4x400m category, while JSS Hajj Camp topped the junior 4x100m category at the competition held  on Friday at the Main Bowl of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

The event attracted more than 200 schoolgirls from across the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory, giving young athletes an opportunity to showcase their talents in track events.

The AFFAN Abuja Chapter Chairperson, Chineadu Oduzor-Onikeku, expressed satisfaction with the performances of the young athletes, saying their displays reinforced her belief that Nigeria has abundant athletic talents waiting to be discovered through grassroots initiatives.

“What we have seen here today encourages us to do more, and I believe that by this time next year, we will have an even better edition,” she said.

She, however, stressed that parental support would be critical to sustaining the gains of the competition, urging parents and guardians to encourage their daughters to embrace athletics and support them to attend regular training programmes.

The Patron of AFFAN Abuja Chapter and former Director of the National Sports Commission, Maria Wophi, described the initiative as a significant step towards discovering, nurturing and empowering young female athletes.

Wophi said the competition was designed to “catch them young” and ensure proper record-keeping, adding that AFFAN was working with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) so that records would be available to the federation and participating schools.

The junior category featured JSS Kuje, JSS Hajj Camp, JSS Kwali, JSS Abaji, GSS Gwagwalada and Folsa School, while the senior category featured GSS Kuje, GSS Gwagwalada, GSS Kwali, Total Child School, Government Day Secondary School (GDSS) Abaji and Folsa School.