ABEOKUTA – Ogun State witnessed a landmark moment for grassroots sports development on Friday, 26th June 2026, with the successful debut of the *Young Athletes Yield Initiative [YAYI]* *RIYE Under-15 Athletics Circuit*, held at the MKO Sports Arena, Abeokuta.
A First-of-Its-Kind Discovery Platform
Conceived as a talent-identification and development platform, YAYI is designed to discover, develop, and equip the next generation of Nigerian track and field athletes at the foundational level. The RIYE Under-15 Circuit marks YAYI’s first major intervention in Ogun State Athletics and Sporting Space, bringing structured competition directly to athletes under 15 years of age.
Seven Events, One Purpose
The circuit featured seven core athletics events giving young athletes competitive exposure across sprints, middle distance, relays, and field:
1. *100m*
2. *200m*
3. *400m*
4. *800m*
5. *4x100m Mixed Relay*
6. *4x400m Mixed Relay*
7. *Shot Put* and *Long Jump*
The mixed relay format was deliberately introduced to promote teamwork, gender inclusion, and strategic race execution from an early age.
Why YAYI Matters
1. Discover: The circuit created a transparent pathway for scouts, coaches, and school programs to identify raw talent across Ogun’s four sporting districts of Remo, Yewa, Ijebu and Egba.
2. Develop: Athletes received technical officiating, measured results, and post-event coaching guidance to support continuous improvement.
3. Dream: By staging a professional, age-appropriate competition, YAYI gives young athletes a credible reason to stay in sport and aim for state, national, and international representation.
“The future of Nigerian athletics will be built from the ground up,” said *Hon. Tunde Delu, Organizer of the RIYE Under-15 Circuit*. “What YAYI can do is simple: provide the platform, the structure, and the belief system that tells a 13-year-old in Ibese or in Isoyin that athletics is a viable path. The RIYE U-15 Athletics Circuit is proof that when we invest early, we yield champions later.”
Next Steps
Following this inaugural edition which involved zonal qualifiers across Ogun State, culminating in a State Grand Finale, the organizers intend the make the event annual and also expand it to include young athletes from other states in the near future.
The initiative is open to schools, Athletic clubs, and community academies aligned with YAYI’s Discover • Develop • Dream mandate.
