As a mark of honour for considered one of Nigeria’s best athletics managers, the late Coach Tobias Igwe, athletes from all 5 South-East states and others from the South-South and South-West area are warming up for the maiden memorial traditional aimed toward immortalising the late coach. Although the Basic, the primary of its form within the nation, is scheduled to carry in 2025, the organisers are already having hectic time attempting to comprise the growing variety of athletes, who’ve signified curiosity to be a part of the occasion.
Sponsor of the Basic, United States-based former 400m hurdler, Victor Okorie, informed The Guardian, yesterday, that the maiden Tobias Igwe Memorial Classics will maintain in Enugu. “We’re taking a look at Might 31, 2025, as date for the Classics,” he mentioned. Okorie is likely one of the athletes found and nurtured to stardom by the late Tobias Igwe within the metropolis of Enugu throughout the golden period of Nigerian athletics. In line with Okorie, who’s representing the South-East on the Board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), arrival date for the Classics is Friday, Might 30, 2025. “Initially, we needed solely athletes from the 5 South-East states to participate within the maiden version, however as we communicate, athletes from some states within the South-South and the South-West have indicated curiosity to be a part of the occasion. Everyone needs to be a part of the Classics to point out their respect for the late Tobias Igwe for the great work he did for Nigeria athletics,” Okorie, a silver medallist at COJA 2003 African Video games, mentioned. Aside from Okorie, the late coach Tobias Igwe (popularly generally known as Toblow) found and nurtured prime Nigerian monitor and subject stars, together with Mary Onyali-Omagbemi, Davidson Ezenwa, Uchenna Emedolu, Clement Chukwu, Raphael Ihunaegbo, Tina Iheagwam and Charity Opara. These athletes went on to make nice affect within the athletics world, giving the People a run for his or her cash when Nigeria athletics was a power to be reckon with globally. Okorie recalled how the late Toblow took him from the streets of Enugu some years in the past to limelight.
“Coach Igwe was a legend, a hero and an important Nigerian. He was the one who took me from Enugu State, the place I used to be residing at the moment to symbolize Abia (my state) at Imo ’98 Nationwide Sports activities Competition. I gained gold medal for Abia State. Below Coach Igwe, I used to be capable of defend my sports activities competition title at Bauchi 2000 earlier than leaving Nigeria for a scholarship within the U.S.
“Coach Igwe was like a father to me and to many different Nigerian athletes. He was a person of peace, who didn’t maintain grudges in the direction of others. Coach Igwe would use his final kobo to make it possible for his athletes have been fed.
“He sacrificed a lot for these round him to make their lives higher. Let this nice legend of our nation get a well-deserved Memorial Classics. His legacy will proceed to dwell on,” Okorie said.
