Last Saturday at the U.J. Esuene Stadium, it was quite a thrill watching athletes from the South South zone and others jostle for cash and honours during the fourth South South All Comers meet.

Breezing… Edidiong Ofonime Odiong, she and others junior athletes stole the show at the South South Championships.

The competition has been on for four years yet, the sports commissioners of the zone seem not to have made it their priority.

But this did not stop the athletes from coming in their numbers to contest in the meet sponsored by the Cross River State government and the Niger Delta Development Commission, who recently threw its weight behind the meet. About 550 athletes were on hand to grace the occasion, however, some of the elite athletes from the zone, did not show up.

It was gathered that the long haul from the Common-wealth Games to the African championships tired them out.

This left the field open to the junior athletes, who did not disappoint. Athletes like Fabian Edoki, Mercy Ntiabong, Praise Idama Dudu and Tobiloba Amusa ,who were plucked from the Youth Olympics in China because of the Ebola scare, had a the chance to compete. Also there to add colour was fast and up and coming Edidiong Ofonime Odiong who reached the 400m final at the world juniors in Eugene, USA.

The Primary and Secondary school category was particularly exciting. It was a delight to see young and talented athletes, who have a bright future in athletics burn the track. But sadly, officials who should be observing these young talents, were not there.

It has been the trend in the four years that this show has been on and one wonders if the song about going back to the grassroots is coming from their hearts or stomach.

Competition was keen in the junior cadre, with Cross Rivers and Rivers States rubbing shoulders while Delta State also made its presence felt. At the end of the day, it was the well-groomed youngsters from Cross River that won most of the medals.

“It is always a delight watching these young athletes. We have seen that this country is blessed with talented athletics.

I can only wish that all the States in the federation will take developmental programmes a priority just like we are doing in Cross River,” said former national 400m champion, Bruce Ijirigho.

He added that governments of the South South States should wake up to modern realities and begin to fund the sport in their localities.

“Delta and Edo were known for sports deve-lopmental progr-ammes. But can you imagine that their athletes to the competition came on their own? We had to rally round to provide them some succour,” Dr. Ijirgho said.

Confirming the development, shot putter, Austin Nwoye said that he and his colleagues from Delta State tasked themselves to be in Calabar.

“We paid our way down here. But I think the Delta sports commission was not aware of the new date.

“This is because they provided buses for us, when the event was first scheduled to hold in July.

However, I still want them to take athletics development seriously. We have so many youngsters who are dying to be exposed to competitions like this,” said Nwoye, who and other throwers challenged the sprinters during the 4x100m relay.

Patience Okoro, a veteran athlete also spoke of abandonment by Edo State. She stated that it was hard getting funds from the State government to attend competitions. “We came here on our own and it wasn’t easy for us.

We really need the state to be more involved in athletics development. There are many youths out there waiting to be discovered,” said the athlete.

Abia, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Edo, Cross River and several athletics clubs were represented at the championships. Cross River State’s Commissioner for sports, Patrick Ugbe expressed delight with the outing, promising that the next edition will be much bigger. He was also thankful for the support received from the NDDC.