Track And Field Events Begin At National School Sports Festival.

The track and field events of the 5th National School Sports Festival kicks off today at the Adokie Amasiamaka Stadium.

  50 events are expected to be competed for in the junior and senior cadres, all eyes will be on Cross River, a team that dominated the last championship held in Calabar.

  According to the coordinator of track and field, Henry Ogunmakinju, today's event will commence with finals of the 3000 and 1500 metres.

  "We are expecting an exciting competition and we are hoping that this will be a starting point for the revival of school sports. Also we believe that new records will be set and stars will be unearthed. Although the records achieved at the last edition held in Calabar remains the existing one but our expectation is that all the previous recorded will be dusted by the athletes," he said.

  The athletics referee added that any state found guilty of fielding mercenaries would be dealt with.
  "We will do our best to follow all the rules guiding the sport and we will follow every event to its logical conclusion with the hope that honesty and fair play will be exhibited by the coaches throughout the tournament. We will uphold the rules and ensure that athletes' successes are not compromised by any official," Ogunmakinju said.

  For the event, the U-12 will compete in 18 events, U-15 is 20 events while the U-17 will jostle for honours in 32 events.

  Also today, events like table tennis, tennis, basketball among others will begin.

  Thousands of athletes from 22 states as well as FCT, Abuja will compete for honours in 18 medal hauling events while seven demonstration events will also be part of the one-week multi-sports championship.

  Meanwhile, the commencement of the event was delayed following the late registration of some states including the host - Rivers.