Ouagadougou: The national athletics championships are set to take place from September 27 to 28 at the August 4 Stadium in Ouagadougou, with more than 200 athletes, including participants from five West African countries, expected to compete, as announced by the Burkinabe Athletics Federation during a press conference.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the championships will feature athletes from Cote d’Ivoire, Benin, Ghana, Mali, Niger, and host country Burkina Faso. Missiri Sawadogo, the first vice-president of the Burkinabe Athletics Federation, stated that this event is anticipated to be highly competitive, with the presence of top athletes from all regions of Burkina Faso and the invited countries.

Several prominent Burkinabe athletes are expected to participate across various disciplines. Notable competitors include Sibiri Sita in middle distance, Soumaila Sabo in triple jump, Alane Sawadogo in jump, Awa and Zalissa Zongo in jump and triple jump in the cadet category, and Daouda Coulibaly in javelin. Sawadogo mentioned the potential for surprises due to the quality of the track.

The championships are being organized following major international events such as the world and African championships. The former national technical director, Sawadogo, emphasized that the goal of these national championships is to qualify for the Accra games.

Athletes will compete for several prizes, including cash rewards ranging from 8,000F to 100,000F and medals in gold, silver, and bronze.