500 students set for Ughelli relays

About 500 students from 30 secondary schools are expected to battle for honours at the 2026 Government College Ughelli (GCU) Relays in Delta State.

The athletics competition will take place on the college’s tartan track in Ughelli, with organisers retaining the traditional second Saturday of November as the date for the event.

The President General Worldwide of the Government College Ughelli Old Boys Association (GCUOBA), His Royal Majesty Albert Akpomudje (SAN), confirmed the date at the association’s National Executive Council meeting, according to a statement issued by its media team.

Retired Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, Chairman of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) Technical and Development Commission and former Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), has been selected to coordinate the technical and organisational preparations for the competition.

GCUOBA said Nesiama’s experience in athletics administration would be valuable in ensuring that the competition is professionally organised.

The association described the annual relays as an important platform for identifying and encouraging young athletic talents, while also helping to revive the competitive tradition associated with secondary school athletics in Nigeria.

The 2026 edition is expected to bring together students from 30 schools for competition on the modern track facility at Government College Ughelli.

The tartan track was constructed and donated to the school by the NNPC-Shell Joint Venture as part of its support for sporting development.

Organisers said the event would continue to provide young athletes with an opportunity to test their abilities and potentially emerge as future stars of Nigerian athletics.