John Shiklam in Kaduna
Over 100 tennis players between ages of 10 to 18 from across the country will participate in the 2016 CBN Junior Tennis Championship scheduled Monday at the Murtala Square Kaduna.
The Acting Director, Corporate Communications, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Isaac Okoroafor disclosed this yesterday at a forum of Tennis players said the tournament which is being held for the first in the North since it was initiated nine years ago.
Okoroafor who was represented at the forum by Mrs Tiki Tanga, said the tournament is aimed at discovering and nurturing young people to showcase and promote their talents.
He said prizes would be given to winners and runners-up in the various age categories of age 10, U-12, U-14, U-16 and 18 as well as prizes for the most outstanding players in the boys and girls categories.
He added that winners in the age categories of 16 and 18 will qualify for the CBN Senior Open Championships.
Okoroafor explained that the tournament was organised in collaboration with the International Tennis Academy, adding the 2016 edition of the competition marks the 10th anniversary of the annual event.
“The championship has the objectives to ensure that young talents are discovered early and nurtured to limelight, while establishing a strong transition platform to the senior, to provide a platform that would attract and enable junior players from all over the country compete and showcase their talents.
“To provide a structure that would allow the junior players compete at a very early age and transit from the junior to the senior category. This junior tennis tournament s designed to serve as a feeder to the senior championship, also a major event organised by the Nigeria Tennis Federation in conjunction with CBN” he said.
He added that the tournament has achieved a lot as players from the CBN Junior Circuit have represented Nigeria in the African Junior Tennis Championship and other international competitions.
