Tag: the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA)

The Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Region II Senior Athletics Championship, originally slated for Friday 15th and Saturday 16th August 2025, will now take place on Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th August 2025.

The Ghana Athletics Federation announced the adjustment following the declaration of a national mourning period by President H.E. John Dramani Mahama in honour of two Ghanaian ministers and other officials who tragically lost their lives in a recent helicopter crash.

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The fatal incident occurred earlier this week when a Ghana Air Force helicopter carrying senior government officials crashed in the Eastern Region.

Ghana’s defence and environment ministers were killed in a helicopter crash Wednesday, the Ghanaian presidency said, hours after the armed forces reported a chopper carrying three crew and five passengers dropped off the radar.

The President of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA),  Hamad Kalkaba Malboum, has  lauded the Federal Government of Nigeria for its hosting  the 3^rd  edition of the African U18/U20 Championship in Abeokuta, Ogun state.

He stated as much  in his remarks at the Confederation of African Athletics council meeting held in Abeokuta on Sunday.

The CAA Boss praised Nigeria as the biggest economy and a power house on the continent which was the reason the CAA turned to Nigeria when there was the setback of the withdrawal of the former host, Algeria.

He said:  ”I wish to express my deepest gratitude to the highest authorities of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, particularly to His Excellency Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Head of State for having authorized the organization of our championships and our meetings here in Nigeria.

” Permit me also to extend my recognition to Honourable Dapo Abiodun, the Governor of Ogun State for putting at the disposal of African young athletes the sports facilities that could allow them to compete in a very efficient environment.

” Our thanks also go to Honourable Bukola Olopade, the President of the Local Organizing Committee and to Mr. Tonobok Okowa, the President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria for their strong commitment to organize a successful event.

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” We all know that Nigeria is the biggest economy in Africa and one of the leading countries in the continent. This is the reason behind the decision of our CAA Council to make a request to Nigeria to host these events in Abeokuta immediately after the withdrawal of Algeria for reasons beyond our control. It was a great opportunity for our young athletes and leaders of our sports in Africa, to experience the hosting capacity of Nigeria and specifically the Ogun State.”

The CAA President however assured that they are committed to ensuring the consistent organisation of the African junior championships so as to prevent the continent from further losing its athletes to Developed Countries.

” In fact, the phenomenon of the change of nationality of our athletes in favour of developed countries is bleeding Africa of its best talents in athletics with a negative impact in the development of sports in general and athletics in particular in our continent.

” Therefore, the CAA is resolutely determined to regularly organize its U18 and U20 Championships to give the opportunity to our young athletes to express their talent, and by so doing, we will be able to produce new talents for the benefit of our continent”, he added.

The 3^rd CAA African U18/U20 Championship will hold from the 16-20 of July 2025, at the new look MKO Sports Arena in Abeokuta, Ogun state where more than 40 African countries are scheduled to participate.

The maiden edition of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA), Zone II U-18 and U-20 Championships will now take place in Accra, the Ghanaian capital.

The decision to move the Championships to Accra was taken by the Executive Committee of the regional athletics body. 

The President of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA), Zone II, Chief Tonobok Okowa, said: “Yes we had initially agreed to stage the competition in Dakar, Senegal but we have to moved it to Accra because of some logistics reasons.”

Okowa, who is also a Vice President of Confederation of African Athletics (CAA), and the President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), stated that Ghana is an excellent replacement for Senegal. 

 “Last year Ghana hosted the CAA Zone II Senior Athletics Championship which was an Olympic Games Qualifiers and they did a good job, a near perfect host they were.”

Okowa believes that Ghana will be a choice destination for the young ones who will be competing for honours in the U-18 and U-20 Championships which will now hold in May or June this year.

The Sports Complex of the University of Legon  is expected to be used for the two-in-one athletics competition.

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 “We are using the event to prepare for the African Youth Championship in July,” Okowa added.

The Confederation African Athletics Championships 2025 for the U-18 and U-20 will be held in Oran, Algeria from the 14 to 18 July 2025.

The continental body had initially awarded the hosting rights to the CAA African Athletics U-18 and U-20 Championships in 2025 to Madagascar during the CAA Council Meeting in Douala, Cameroon on June 20, 2024.

The Championships is expected to attract more than 500 athletes from 50 countries.

Meanwhile,  the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) is set to hold its yearly Congress in Oran on 12 and 13 July, 2025, before the start of this continental sporting event.

In a related development, Secretary General of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Israel Inwang, said the Federation will be using the rescheduled Awoture U-15, U-18 and U-20 Championships as National trials for the CAA Zone II U-18 and U-20 Championships.

 “Our trials are crucial for selecting Nigeria’s representatives for the regional Championships. Rescheduling allows our athletes ample time to train and compete at their best,” Inwang added.

The Awoture U-15, U-18 and U-20 Championships will be staged in Asaba, Delta State, South South, Nigeria.