Athletic Heat CEO Ese Oguma welcomes athletes’ investment

Nigeria’s national record holder in the women’s javelin, Kelechi Nwanaga, and UTEP Miners standout Esther Osisike have committed a combined ₦200,000 in prize money to the women’s throwing events at the Athletic Heat 10th Anniversary Meet.

Nwanaga is backing the women’s javelin, while Osisike is supporting the women’s discus, with each athlete contributing ₦100,000 to reward the top three finishers in their respective events.

Under the prize structure, winners in both disciplines will receive ₦50,000, with the runners-up earning ₦30,000 and third-place finishers taking home ₦20,000.

The sponsorships add to the incentives for competitors ahead of the anniversary competition, scheduled for Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the Yaba College of Technology Sports Complex in Lagos.

Nwanaga backs her specialist event

A leading figure in Nigerian women’s javelin, Nwanaga brings considerable international experience to her support of the event.

The former UMBC Retrievers and Florida State Seminoles athlete won silver at the 2015 African Junior Championships before claiming gold at the 2015 African Games.

She went on to finish fourth at the 2016 African Championships and sixth at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. In 2018, she captured the African Championships title and successfully defended her African Games crown in 2019.

Nwanaga’s personal best of 58.15 metres, recorded in Ozoro in July 2017, remains the Nigerian national record in the women’s javelin.

Her contribution to the Athletic Heat meet offers competitors in the event an opportunity to earn financial rewards while showcasing their abilities on the domestic athletics scene.

Osisike, who has made significant progress in collegiate athletics in the United States with the UTEP Miners, is directing her contribution towards the women’s discus.

The thrower enjoyed an outstanding 2025 outdoor season, winning the Conference USA discus title with a personal-best mark of 56.22 metres. Her performance also secured qualification for the NCAA West First Round.

She further demonstrated her versatility by winning both the shot put and discus at the Desert Heat Classic and Sun City Classic.

Osisike also recorded a personal best of 55.27 metres in the hammer throw at the Don Kirby Tailwind Twilight and a shot put best of 15.13 metres at the Beach Invite.

Her progress began during her freshman campaign in 2024, when she qualified for the NCAA West First Round in the discus and earned All-Conference USA Second Team honours. She also won silver in the discus at the Conference USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships with a throw of 49.85 metres.

By sponsoring the women’s discus at the Lagos meet, Osisike is extending her contribution beyond collegiate competition to support athletes participating in Nigeria.

The contributions from Nwanaga and Osisike highlight how accomplished athletes can help strengthen the domestic athletics calendar by investing in competitions and creating additional incentives for emerging talents.

Athletic Heat CEO Ese Oguma welcomed the sponsorships, expressing appreciation to both athletes for supporting the anniversary meet.

Oguma stressed the importance of members of the athletics community contributing to competitions that provide platforms for athletes to compete, improve and earn recognition.

The 10th Anniversary Meet will feature several track and field disciplines, bringing athletes together in Lagos to mark a decade of Athletic Heat’s contribution to the sport.

With Nwanaga and Osisike backing the women’s javelin and discus, respectively, the throwing events will offer competitors more than medals, with cash rewards also at stake.

SIGNED
Maxwell Kumoye
Chairman Media Committee,
Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).

29/10/2026