Nigeria’s Under 17 women’s football team, the Flamingos, will feature at the 2024 National Sports Festival as part of a new group of Invited Junior Athletes introduced by the National Sports Commission.
The IJA is a pioneering initiative of the NSC, created to nurture young talents from across the country in various sporting disciplines. The group, effectively serving as the 38th state at the Festival, will make its debut at the Gateway 2024 Games, scheduled to begin on May 16 in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Over 100 teenagers have been drafted into the IJA team, which will compete in 11 events, including athletics, football, table tennis, wrestling, swimming, badminton, weightlifting, tennis, para athletics, and more. The selection, according to the NSC, was designed to match Nigeria’s areas of competitive strength and serve as a platform for grooming future stars for national and international representation.
The Flamingos will represent the IJA in the women’s football tournament, where they are expected to face elite opposition from across the federation.
MUST READ: Crime Fighting: Police Hold Conference With Stakeholders,Tactical Commanders In Kogi
The participation is viewed as both a development opportunity and a competitive test for the squad, which recently sealed qualification for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after comprehensive victories over Algeria and South Africa.
After their departure from camp in Ikenne recently, the Flamingos will reconvene in Abuja to join the broader IJA delegation and start preparations for the Festival.
Director General of the NSC, Bukola Olopade, who visited the athletes in camp, told the youngsters that their involvement in the initiative marked the beginning of a new chapter in Nigerian sport. He explained that the IJA concept was designed with the approval and support of President Bola Tinubu, with a long-term vision to integrate junior athletes into elite pathways.
He added that the IJA programme was built on the premise that outstanding junior athletes, especially those who have excelled at events like the National Youth Games, deserve exposure to higher-level competition.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
