National Athletics Coach Gabriel Okon who was part of the recently concluded Zonal Finals of the AKS/NNPC/MPN Schools athletics championships, has gone back to Abuja with fond memories of the event.
“ This is a great potential. To have jumped 1.85 metres with an unorthodox style and on a crude surface, this is definitely a great potential worthy of tracking…..” He said.
Coach Okon was referring to Jeremiah David Ukoh who at the Ikot Ekpene Zone of the competition won the High Jump event by setting a new championship mark of 1.85 metres to erase the two year old record of 1.75 metres held by Blessing Udo.
According to the coach, timings during grass roots athletics events may be suspect, but when it comes to jumps and throws, you can hardly fault the distances and heights. “ I was there myself to measure the height and I can tell you he is a very good jumper. I spoke to him and am in touch. In the grand finale, I can see him jumping higher in a better environment,” he said.
The student of Top Faith Secondary School Mkpatak, Essien Udim attributed his mark to the availability of decent sport equipment in his school and is very sure that with enhanced infrastructure at the Akwa Ibom International Stadium, he can do better. Titus Joseph of Ritman College guaranteed himself a place in the final with a leap of 1.60 metres to win silver while Ekemini Ofonime Paul jumped to bronze with 1.55 metres.
At a point during the finals every other activity ceased as all attention was focused on David as he showed his stuff to the admiration of all.
Veteran Sports writer Keresifon Essien who accompanied Coach Okon on the tour of the zones writes that David’s feat runs in the family as his sister Blessing Uko, a student of Fortune High School in Uyo also created waves in her zone when she coasted to the Shot Putt gold.
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