World Athletics U-20: Sports Minister Announces Cash Awards For Team Nigeria’s Medallists; NCAA Rules Upheld

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare has announced cash awards for Team Nigeria athletes who win medals at the ongoing World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya where 200 countries are competing. Nigeria is 3rd on the medals table so far.

Dare had charged and promised the athletes before the Championships began that those who do the nation proud will be handsomely rewarded, a statement that has now seen the light of day.

The cash awards announced will see the Team Nigeria athletes receive $5000 for Gold, $3000 for Silver and $2000 for Bronze medals.

Already by the close of Day 4, Team Nigeria had recorded her best ever outing in history at the world Atlletics U-20 Championships with three Gold and two Bronze medals. This medal haul has moved Nigeria to third place on the medals table behind the hosts Kenya and surprise package Finland.

Team Nigeria’s Mixed 4×400m relay team started the gold rush before Imaobong Nse Uko (400m women) and Udodi Onwuzurike (200m men) won the finals of their events in dominant fashion. Favour Ofili (200m women) and Chinacherem Nnamdi (Javelin) won Team Nigeria’s Bronze medals.

Also Read: Onwuzurike Wins Men’s World Athletics U-20 200m Gold, Ofili Secures Women’s Bronze

There are expectations of more podium finishes for Team Nigeria in the 4×100m(men and women) and 4×400m(women) relays on Sunday, the final day of the Championships.

You would recall that medal winning athletes of Team Nigeria to the just concluded Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan were also given cash awards, with the Federal Government tripling the amount the athletes got in previous Olympics.

This is however the first time that athletes to the World Athletics U-20 Championships would ever be financially rewarded for their performances.

Clarification on Cash Rewards For Team Nigeria Medalists in Kenya

Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development have given further clarifications to the announcement of cash rewards to medal winning Team Nigeria athletes at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya.

This clarification has become necessary following enquiries about the NCAA status of some of the beneficiaries.

According to the Ministry, “We know about the NCAA regulations and we won’t not want any of these young and promising talents, who are our hopes for the future to breach the rules as it affects the rewards we announced. As such, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development would hold the cash rewards in trust for those affected by the NCAA regulations while the others not affected by it would be handed their rewards.”

“The Ministry will remain properly guided on this matter.”