A member of Nigeria’s track and field contingent to this year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, Edidiong Udo has revealed that he decided to support the upcoming 10th anniversary of Athletics Heat project because he wants to see athletes continue earning for themselves.
Sports247 reports that Udo, who got to the men’s quartermile final in Glasgow and was part of the 4x400m mixed relay quartet that won bronze, added that he also admires what Athletics Heat is doing in terms of encouraging young athletes to grow.
With those facts in mind, Udo has enthusiastically joined in support of the organisers ahead of the November 7th event at Yaba College of Technology sports centre with a pledge of N200,000 to any 800m athlete who reaches a satisfactory standard.
This was disclosed by Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) media committee chairman, Maxwell Kumoye, who added that Udo’s huge contribution will cover the men’s and women’s 800m events during the anniversary meet because he started his career as a middle distance runner.
Kumoye revealed further that Udo’s bonus will be available to any female athlete who runs faster than 2:07 and a male that breaks 1:52, which would be apart from the regular prizes that the organisers have earmarked for the events.
Udo expatiated that his gesture is in symbolic recognition of how he started his athletics life running the 800m event before switching to 400m, in which he became Nigerian champion in 2022 and subsequently earned a scholarship to Ohio State University in USA, which helped him establish himself internationally.
He further excelled this year, having lowered his personal best to 44.91 at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, thereby becoming the second Nigerian to dip under 45 seconds in the 400m this season and then made his national team debut at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Udo recalled, “I used to run the 800m. So, supporting the event means a lot to me. I want to see athletes keep training, competing and putting themselves in a position to earn something for themselves.
“I also want to appreciate Athletic Heat for the constant support they have shown to Nigerian athletes and for the work they continue to do in showcasing Nigerian and African athletes.
“Athletic Heat has stood for excellence for the past 10 years, and I want to be part of that. To celebrate 10 years, they are putting together a meet. So, I encourage every Nigerian and African athlete to be part of this milestone.”
He also applauded Athletics Heat chief executive, Ese Oguma for creating a very successful, long standing and well sustained platform to groom young athletes and encourage those who might otherwise struggle to gain visibility on the ever busy Nigerian terrain.
“Ese Oguma has used his platform to showcase Nigerian athletes and African athletes at large. That is something I really appreciate, and I wanted to contribute to what they are building,” Udo pointed out.
Sports247 gathered further that the Athletic Heat 10th Anniversary Meet will mark a decade of Oguma’s involvement in promoting athletics and providing exposure for young athletes across Nigeria and Africa.
