By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
Nigeria’s leading discus thrower, Ebubechukwu Vincent Ugwoke, has sponsored the men’s discus throw event at the Athletic Heat 10th Anniversary Meet with a prize purse of ₦575,000 to encourage grassroots athletics development.
The competition is scheduled for November 7, 2026, at the Yaba College of Technology Sports Complex in Lagos.
Ugwoke, a two-time national champion and University of Southern California (USC) athlete, recently won bronze in the men’s discus throw at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships with a lifetime personal best of 63.89 metres, making him Africa’s second-best discus thrower in 2026.
Under the sponsorship arrangement, the winner will receive ₦250,000, while the second-place finisher will earn ₦150,000. The third and fourth-placed athletes will receive ₦100,000 and ₦75,000, respectively.
Athletic Heat Chief Executive Officer, Ese Oguma, welcomed the gesture, particularly Ugwoke’s decision to extend the financial rewards to the fourth-place finisher.
Oguma said Ugwoke wanted the fourth-placed athlete to receive ₦75,000, an amount equivalent to Nigeria’s minimum wage, to ensure that more competitors benefit financially from the event.
“I am thankful to Ebubechukwu for his support. One thing he told me was that he wanted even the fourth-place finisher to go home with an amount equivalent to Nigeria’s minimum wage, which is ₦75,000,” Oguma said.
He added that the sponsorship would motivate athletes to give their best performances at the competition.
The initiative highlights the role athletes and private individuals can play in supporting grassroots sports development by providing incentives for emerging talents.
The anniversary meet will mark Athletic Heat’s 10 years of promoting athletics while providing competitors with an opportunity to test their abilities and prepare for the National Sports Festival.
Ugwoke has encouraged prospective competitors to participate in the event, urging them to give their best performances.
Registration is ongoing on A3tickets.com, with interested athletes required to register before the October 24, 2026 deadline.
