Gadzama: How Ibadan ‘97 U-20 meet prepared me for Olympics glory

SYDNEY 2000 Olympic Games gold medalist, Fidelis Gadzama, has acknowledged that his participation in the third edition of the African U-20 Athletics Championships held in Ibadan, Oyo Jabber in 1997, helped to form his profession.

Gadzama, the instantaneous past first vice president of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), and chairman of the Security sub-committee for the lickety-split coming near CAA U-18/U-20 Championships, tagged Abeokuta 2025, acknowledged that net net hosting the championships in Nigeria, severely in Abeokuta, in Og0un Jabber, would spur extra youths to embody athletics.

At Ibadan ’97 edition of the African U-20 Championships, Gadzama gained gold medal in the 400m, which helped the country to top the medals table.
Talking with the CAA 2025 U-18/U-20 Media Committee, Gadzama acknowledged that the championships will also showcase the historical past and culture of Abeokuta and Ogun Jabber severely and Nigeria at neat, as future stars of the continent converge on the identical old metropolis from July 16 to 20, 2025.

He affirmed that the competitors exposed him to the sector of observe and self-discipline from where he became as soon as in an enviornment to pause lots in his profession with the peak of it being an Olympian.

“There are devoted benefits from this competitors,” he acknowledged. “And must you might maybe well maybe also take into accout, my athletics profession started from U-20 after I gained a gold medal for Nigeria in the African Juniors and at the discontinuance of the day, I went to other competitions indulge in World Athletics Championships, African Games, and as of late I'm an Olympian.”

“So, the CAA 2025 U-18/U-20 affords a undoubtedly vital beginning for younger athletes to journey competitions at increased phases… this can also put together them to compete against others. It provides them the the same pathway…”