Mary Onyali Advocates for Balanced Approach in Sports and Education for Young Athletes
Former Nigerian sprint queen, Mary Onyali, has issued a compelling call to young athletes nationwide, urging them to maintain a careful equilibrium between their sporting pursuits and academic endeavors. She emphasized that academic excellence is just as vital as athletic achievement for ensuring sustainable long-term personal and professional development.
Key Message at MTN CHAMPS Grand Finale
Onyali delivered this crucial advice during the ongoing MTN CHAMPS SEASON 4 Grand Finale, held at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Adamasigba, Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State. She stressed that athletes aspiring to reach elite competitive levels must avoid the common pitfall of prioritizing sports at the complete expense of their education, advocating instead for a parallel progression in both domains.
The global athletics icon provided concrete reasoning, explaining that numerous successful athletes who have secured valuable scholarships to study abroad achieved this not solely due to their sporting prowess but also because they met stringent academic criteria. This includes maintaining minimum Grade Point Average standards required by foreign universities and educational institutions.
“Sports and education must go hand-in-hand. Both are important and must be balanced. It is not enough to focus only on athletics or only on academics; success requires excellence in both areas,” Onyali stated emphatically.
Praise for Grassroots Talent Development Platform
Onyali also took the opportunity to commend the MTN Champs initiative, describing it as a significant and transformative platform for grassroots talent identification in Nigeria. She noted that the competition consistently provides invaluable opportunities for young athletes who might otherwise never have the chance to compete at a national level, thereby uncovering hidden potential across the country.
She praised the organizers for establishing a structured and effective pathway that enables the discovery of raw talent at the grassroots level, followed by nurturing and guided development towards elite performance standards. According to Onyali, the competition's zonal and national structure has successfully ensured broader participation, with athletes progressing through various stages held in cities like Calabar and Jos before reaching the grand finale in Ibadan.
“Young athletes must understand that this is an opportunity to prove themselves. Those who are discovered will be nurtured, mentored and prepared for global success,” she added, highlighting the program's comprehensive support system.
Organizational Vision and Long-Term Impact
Also speaking at the event was Babatunde Koiki, Manager of PR, Communications and Partnerships at Making of Champions (MoC). He described MTN Champs Season 4 as the culmination of a dedicated four-year partnership aimed at discovering and developing Nigeria’s next generation of elite athletic talent.
Koiki elaborated that the initiative has steadfastly provided a robust platform for grassroots athletes to showcase their abilities, with many discovered through the program now competing successfully at both national and international levels. He detailed how MoC, through its athletics club and academy based in Lagos, extends support to selected athletes in the form of scholarships, school placements, and access to elite coaching, all designed to prepare them for global competition.
“Many of the athletes we have discovered are now competing in the NCAA system in the United States and representing Nigeria at major championships,” Koiki revealed, underscoring the program's tangible outcomes.
He further shared that the long-term vision of the project ambitiously includes preparing athletes for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Koiki characterized the entire initiative as “priceless” in its profound impact on youth development, combining athletic training with educational support to create well-rounded individuals poised for success on and off the field.
