The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria Triathlon Union

  • NTU urges states/schools to set up associations/clubs

    The Nigeria Triathlon Union (NTU) has urged states/schools to set up associations/clubs to enable them to discover and develop athletes so that they can participate in national competitions.

    President of NTU, Prince Wale Oladunjoye visited some states and schools outside Lagos to remind them of the need to set up functional triathlon associations. The NTU had earlier written letters to them and the visit of the NTU boss was a follow-up to see what the states were doing to develop the sports.

    In Owerri, Oladunjoye met with the Imo State Director of Sports, Chizota Aretola, whom he held a discussion with. The NTU boss also handed the former Volleyball player a letter of reminder on the need to partner with the NTU.

    Oladunjoye also visited Abia State Director of Sports in Umuahia on the need to establish an association in the state, which will enable teeming youngsters to take advantage of the facilities in the state and compete with their peers.

    The Director of Sports, Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Nnochiri Nwaiwu said he was convinced on the viability of the sport and gave assurance that he would speak to the provost on the need to set up a club in the school to also cater for the secondary and primary schools in the college

    The NTU boss, in the company of Dr Harry Ladapo, Vice President Medical, presented a souvenir to the Principal of Lagelu College Ibadan, Tope Onifade, who is also excited about working with the NTU to bringing triathlon to the doorsteps of all students.

    Oladunjoye stated that the NTU would continue to make efforts that would help in the propagation of the sport in the country.

  • Lagos to host Duathlon Championship

    Nigeria Triathlon Union (NTU) in conjunction with Cadbury Nigeria Plc will on Sunday, 10th February hold a one-day tournament tagged Cadbury Bournvita Duathlon Championship.

    The national competition, which will feature junior (boys and girls) and senior (men and women) athletes among states in the country, clubs and schools, will hold inside the mainbowl of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

    The duathlon tournament will see athletes taking part in biking and running. While first running and biking in the senior category (male and female) will cover 5km and 20km respectively, the second running in that category covers 2.5km.

    The  junior male and female first running and biking cover 2.5km and 10km respectively, while the second running covers 2.5km.

    President of NTU, Prince Wale Oladunjoye disclosed that cycling and athletics clubs  across the country are equally invited to take part in the competition, adding that the events start by 7:30am, while the closing and awards ceremonies hold by 3:30pm.

    “This Cadbury Bournvita Duathlon Championship is one of several events that we have in stock this year, even as we planned to take the sport to all the geopolitical zones of the country especially the schools,” Oladunjoye said.

    On the route mapping, Oladunjoye said: “The routes could be amended depending on mapping calculations available but won’t be too much different from these distances.”

  • 2019: Triathlon targets grassroots, schools

    Nigeria Triathlon Union (NTU) has finalised plans to take the sports to teeming youngsters nationwide in the new year.

    President of the Nigeria Triathlon Union (NTU), Wale Oladunjoye stated that the Union is taking triathlon to the door steps of teeming energetic youngsters in the country through their schools and clubs.

    The NTU boss noted that representatives from schools would converge at their geo-political zones and get the best of training from seasoned coaches, who are always ready to impart their knowledge to kids from both the public and private schools.

    He also said that the swimming event would take place in open waters just like it is done at international competition, assuring that venue for open water swimming have already been secured, with roads around the venue to be used for the running and biking events.

    “Our plan as a body is to take triathlon to door steps of teeming youngsters nationwide through schools/clubs at the geopolitical zones with hubs at the state capital and schools/clubs compete quarterly,” he added.

    He also assured that the Federation would organise officiating/coaching courses through International Triathlon Union/Nigeria Olympic Committee to improve delivery in these areas. He also noted that the sixth national championship would hold in April/May with all the top players expected to showcase their skills at the championship.

    To ensure that the federation gets funding for its programmes, the NTU boss said increased and improved sponsorships/partnerships would be reinvigorated.

  • NTU workshop: Participants vow to lift triathlon

    NTU workshop: Participants vow to lift triathlon

     

    Twenty Six Games’ Masters took part in the Nigeria Triathlon Union’s (Union) one-day workshop for trainers, which took place at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

    The training was part of activities for the first Exxon Mobil Triathlon School holiday competition slated for April 11 to 13 at the same venue. The participants were drawn from various schools in Lagos and are expected to prepare their students for the holiday clinic.

    Some of the participants who bared their minds on the workshop described it as an eye opener, assuring that they would pass the experience gained to their students. Oladesokan Toluwase said that she was hearing about the sports for the first time. She, however, described the workshop as interesting and insightful.

    “The workshop was very interesting. This is the first time I am coming in contact with triathlon and I am sure the NTU organised the event so that they can engender awareness about the sport, especially among students. I was surprised that they had a competition last year, but I am happy to be part of the workshop,” she added.

    Owolabi Habbeb of St Francis Junior Grammar School, Iwaya commended the NTU for holding the workshop and stated that the students would benefit from it. “After this training, I will go back to my school and transfer the knowledge to the students. I know that we can get some students who will show interest.”

    Some of the speakers at the workshop included the President of NTU, Dr Lanre Glover, who spoke on the Evolution of Triathlon and the Nigeria Triathlon Union, Babatunde Fatayi Williams, the second Vice President of Nigeria Olympic Committee and the President of Aquatics Federation, who delivered a paper on ‘An Overview of Triathlon as a Sport.’

    Other speakers were Dr Sikuade Jagun, the Chairman of Lagos Triathlon Association and Yinka Badare, the Technical Director of NTU.