Dauda shows raw talent, needs urgent grooming – Coach Soetan News

In this interview with ABIODUN ADEWALE, former national champions, board member of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria and coach, Lekan Soetan, who specialises in jumps, pole vault, and decathlon, speaks on the viral Oyo schoolboy high jumper, grassroots talent discovery, and the structural challenges hindering the growth of pole vault and other field events in Nigeria

A schoolboy in Oyo State recently went viral for his high jump videos on social media. What struck you when you first saw them?

From the video, I could see that he has the natural ability to jump and the coordination required as well. High jump is quite complex, though not as technical as pole vault. His style was still crude, but it was very interesting to watch. He’s someone who would be exciting to train. I was practically dropping my phone number in the comment sections where I saw his videos, so we could reach out to him.

As a board member representing the South-West zone on the AFN board, what immediate steps can be taken to identify and support him and others like him?

We have grassroots events scheduled around Oyo State from February into March, and we hope to bring him in to participate. Also, for any organised meets in Ibadan and nearby areas, I will encourage him to register and compete. He has dreams of going to the Olympics, and that’s a long journey—it has to start as early as possible.

Technically, as a decathlete with experience in high jump and other events, what would you focus on in grooming him?

We have to consider whether he will grow taller. Ideally, a high jumper should be around 6ft 2in. But if that doesn’t happen, he can transition into other jumping events like long jump, triple jump, or even pole vault. High jump is skill-based—not everyone can jump above their height, but he has shown signs that he can. That’s very promising.

We’ve seen pole vault featured at the National Sports Festival, and it’s encouraging that Nigerian athletes are participating. Why don’t we see them on the global stage?

If you look back at around 2000, we had athletes clearing heights between 3.50m and 4.00m, but those marks wouldn’t even qualify for a women’s U-20 event globally. That shows how far behind we are. The event is underdeveloped—not because of a lack of interest, but due to poor infrastructure. For instance, my athlete, Japo Toma, has won pole vault gold three consecutive times from Edo 2020 to Ogun 2024. We’re currently training a girl in Ogun State who had never vaulted before but has had the ambition since Asaba 2022. However, facilities remain a major challenge. We had to improvise equipment, including landing pits and uprights. That reflects the broader situation across the country.

The biggest issue is the lack of equipment. Successful athletes need access to poles, landing pits, and foam mats. Without these, performance will drop. Many states don’t have these facilities, and even where they exist, access is limited to competition periods. A single pole can cost as much as ₦700,000, making it difficult for individuals to afford—it has to be state-funded. Without proper training equipment, it’s like asking a sprinter to train on grass. We have talented athletes, even gymnasts, who can transition into these events, but without equipment, there’s little they can do. Some of us dominated locally but never gained international exposure because we couldn’t meet global standards.

Yes, Peter Moreno, a decathlete based in the UK. He became a national champion in the decathlon and cleared 4.60m in pole vault in Abuja in 2018. Even that height wasn’t enough to qualify for major international competitions. Victoria Itodo is the first female pole vaulter in Nigeria, as she is currently a coach in Edo State.

I moved into the decathlon because I needed to win medals at the National Sports Festival. I couldn’t compete directly with athletes like coach Solomon Aliu in my main event. I was already a high jumper, sprinter, and hurdler, but I had to quickly learn the throwing events within six months. By 1998, I placed second behind Leo Okorafor in the decathlon. I only competed in the decathlon for about three years before returning to my specialities—the 110m hurdles and pole vault. I later became a hurdles and pole vault coach.

I started out as a high jumper in 1994, competing with athletes like Femi Ajao, before transitioning through different disciplines.

Like the viral jumper, what does it take to groom a child in pole vault, high jump and long jump?

They have to start at a very young age. We have junior athletics kits, including lighter poles that children can handle. Once a child can run and hold a pole, they can begin basic drills using a long jump pit.

Every school should have access to these basic kits—plastic hurdles and beginner poles. Kids naturally enjoy jumping and vaulting, but the key question is: are the facilities available? If the equipment is there, more children will be drawn to high jump, long jump, and pole vault before even considering track events.