The race for honours at the 23rd National Sports Festival, Enugu 2026, has kicked off in Jos, the Plateau State, capital as athletes from the North-Central zone and the Federal Capital Territory battle for places at the national finals.
The zonal eliminations, which also form part of the build-up to the Intermediate Games in Lagos, have brought together teams competing for qualification and the chance to represent their respective states on the national stage.
The zonal eliminations will see teams from the participating states compete in a number of team sports, including basketball, hockey, football, rugby, cricket, abula, handball, volleyball, beach volleyball and wheelchair basketball.
For the athletes, the competition provides an opportunity to test their strength against their counterparts from across the zone while securing a place at the respective national competitions.
The Zonal Coordinator of the Ministry of Sports, Emmanuel Oludokiya, says arrangements have been concluded to ensure the smooth conduct of the competitions.
Representatives of some of the participating states also speak on their teams’ preparedness, expectations and determination to secure qualification.
The North Central zonal competitions are being held concurrently in Jos and are expected to end on Sunday, September 13.
Successful teams will proceed to represent their respective states at the 23rd National Sports Festival in Enugu, branded as the Coal City Games while athletes participating in the Intermediate Games will converge on Lagos for the national competition.
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Editor: Terverr Tyav
