Joel Ajayi
With just 11 days left until the 22nd National Sports Festival dubbed “Gateway Games” kicks off in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, the anticipation continues to soar and one of the most compelling storylines emerging is that of the Invited Junior Athletes ,IJA.
Introduced by the National Sports Commission ,NSC, as a bold innovation, the IJA concept was born out of the need to nurture the nation’s brightest young sports prospects.
Dubbed the “38th state”, the team heading to the NSF comprises just over 100 teenage athletes selected from across Nigeria to compete against more established counterparts in about 11 sports at the upcoming National Sports Festival.
The NSC’s vision is to provide these young athletes a rare platform to test their skills on a grand stage while accelerating their development in a highly competitive environment. And with the IJA camp currently buzzing with energy and optimism, that vision is beginning to take shape.
The IJA will compete in athletics, badminton, football, para athletics, swimming, table tennis, tennis, wrestling, and weightlifting. These sports were strategically selected to align with Nigeria’s strength zones while preparing the next generation of stars for national and international contests.
While their inclusion is developmental, the ambition within the camp is not just passive. From the sprints to the wrestling mats, from the swimming lanes to the weightlifting platforms, these junior athletes are not just going to participate they are going to challenge the status quo.
The Gateway Games 2024 running from May 16 to 30 is expected to host between 12,000 and 15,000 athletes across more than 30 sports, making it the largest convergence of sporting talent in the country. Amid this flurry of talent, all eyes will be on the IJA to see just how far the “38th state” can go.
As the countdown continues, one thing is clear: the future of Nigerian sports is not just waiting it’s arriving. And it’s wearing the colors of the Invited Junior Athletes.
