Via Kelu Musa
Ace cyclists Momoh Isah and Osaretin Godwin have emerged winners of the female and male classes on the 2026 Abuja Bikers’ Race.
The Information Company of Nigeria (NAN) studies that the athletes completed first of their respective classes on the 5th version of the event hung on Saturday on the Federal Secretariat aisles of town centre, Abuja.
The exciting festival attracted cyclists from other portions of Nigeria, in addition to biking fanatics who got here of their numbers to make stronger their contestants.
Godwin, 18, coated an 80-kilometre direction, comprising 8 laps of 10 kilometres every, to clinch the feminine elite identify.
In an interview with NAN at the sideline, the teenage athlete stated her victory was once a results of right kind preparation and difficult paintings.
“It was once tricky, however we thank God for the whole lot. With the assistance of my teammates and trainer, I used to be ready to win this race.
“I’m having a look ahead to turning into an Olympic champion thru arduous coaching and sacrifice,” she stated.
Isa claimed the male senior identify after finishing the 110-kilometre race in two hours and 52 mins.
He instructed NAN that the victory had fueled his ambition to compete on the 2028 Olympic Video games.
“I think very excited to be the winner of this race. While you teach, you imagine in your self, so you’ll be able to compete anyplace,” he stated.
A teenage athlete Goodluck Ossai gained the junior male class of the race, becoming a member of Momoh and Osaretin as heroes of this 12 months’s version of the contest.
In step with the organisers, the yearly tournament is held to advertise biking and determine rising skills able to representing the rustic at global competitions.
Habu Abdulrahman-In the past, Vice President, Biking Federation of Nigeria and Government Director of Sports activities at Yobe State Sports activities Council, stated grassroots competitions had been necessary for locating long run champions.
“Catching them younger is the important thing. Via enticing younger athletes in this sort of festival, you’ll be able to determine skill and transfer them to the nationwide group,” he stated.
He recommended Abuja Bikers for establishing the contest, including that grassroots races equipped alternatives to spot promising athletes for nationwide groups.
Additionally talking, Marian Oluwapidan, founding father of Abuja bikers’race, stated the 5th version was once assembly its function of attracting younger folks to biking.
“Biking is meant to seize the grassroots, which we’re doing. We now have a large number of schoolchildren, and the federation is keen on growing them,” she stated.
Oluwapidan stated cyclists from about 8 or 9 states had participated, making the contest a platform for younger riders to check their talents towards competition from different portions of the rustic.
She stated the initiative was once additionally selling a stability between training and sports activities, with contributors anticipated to care for just right educational efficiency to stay concerned.
Mohammed Bashir, Technical Director of the biking federation, stated its technical make stronger for the contest mirrored its dedication to finding and growing younger cyclists.
“This festival is basically for the early life, to catch them younger,” he stated.
He referred to as on organisations to spouse with the federation to amplify biking construction.(NAN)
Edited through Joshua Olomu