90 schools participate in Maltina Games in Bauchi

No fewer than 90 secondary schools in Bauchi State participated in the 2021 Maltina School Games, held in Bauchi.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report that the game organised by Nigeria Breweries PLC. was aimed at intervening in school sports.

The intervention involved series of track and field sporting competitions in inter-school sports competitions, to grow future sports champions in secondary schools across Nigeria.

Mr Peter Bulus, Sport Director, Bauchi State Ministry of Sports and state coordinator of National School Sports Federation (NSSF), told NAN on Thursday that 90 schools participated from the state.

“It was successful and encouraging right from the preliminaries to the finals. Today (Thursday), the best talent and school will emerge,” he said.

Bulus said that the Maltina School Games was a timely intervention to save the dying culture of school sports and more importantly, help to produce quality young and sound minds that could rightly be called leaders of tomorrow.

A Teacher, Mr. Dauda Bitrus, from a secondary school in Ndit, Bogoro Local Government Area, said that the competition had encouraged participation of young players in track and field sporting events.

He urged government to sustain the competition to encourage and discover young talents.

“Talents are being wasted in the society for lack of coaching and mentoring of the young ones right from their school days,’’ he said.

Mr. Aliyu Sambo, a participant from Sa’adu Zungur Secondary School, commended Maltina for organising the competition.

“I participated in the 800 meters race during the competition, which was exciting and encouraging to me. Track and field sporting is losing relevance in schools because attention is not paid to such sports.

“Government needs to do more to encourage us and organise such competitions among schools in the state,” he said.

NAN report that the track and field sports included 800 meters, 400m, 200m, 4×1m relay, high jump, long jump, javelin and shot put.

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