Cycling Will Give Us Medals— Rivers Coach

Rivers state cycling coach,Emmanuel  Onosoya believes his team will win medals in the sport in the on-going 17th National Sports Festival.

The state is fielding 15 cyclists,7 females and 8 males. One of his cyclists,Edward Osim has done well in men’s 200 m sprint heat which took place at Aggrey Road in Port Harcourt on Wednesday and the national coach,Bashir Mohammed has already invited him to the national camp for trials.

Onosoya told correspondents in Port Harcourt on Wednesday that the state cycling team prepared well for the festival.

He said two male cyclists from the state qualified for the quarter finals of the men’s 200 m sprint event.

He said the team went on Tour de’ Niger Delta training from Rivers to Akwa Ibom and Cross River and back to Rivers, as part of its preparations for the national event.

“The Tour de Niger Delta really helped my cyclists, both male and female and it impacted a lot of things into their legs and you can see the expression of it in this 200 meters sprints, you can see how the boy is taking them on.

“I think they have qualified for the quarter finals now. We are even saying that the officials should consider the weather of Port Harcourt and round it  up now,’’ he said.

The  coach said if finished in time, the organisers will have  more time to continue with other cycling events saying that the weather could be unpredictable.

Onosoya said the state cycling team had the capability to upset other rivals and win most of the medals in the 15 events in cycling.