Rivers Swimmers Fly Nigeria’s Flag In Maputo

Rivers State is contributing three swimmers, Dino Egbarakumo, Eric Williams and Doutimi Gagbe to Nigeria’s contingent currently in Maputo, Mozambique for the ongoing 10th All Africa Games.

The swimmers, all multiple gold medalists at the recently concluded 17th National Sports Festival, Garden City Games, 2011, held in Port Harcourt, are expected to help bring laurels to the country.

This was disclosed by the Secretary to the Rivers State Swimming Association, Christopher Chioma, in an exclusive interview with Tidesports, yesterday, in Port Harcourt.

According to him, the swimmers were invited by the Nigerian Swimming Federation (NSE) following their impressive performance at the recently concluded 17th National Sports Festival tagged “Garden City Games 2011.”

“I am not surprised that the athletes were invited by the Swimming Federation, they performed decently well during the sports festival. In fact, three of them won more than five gold medals for Rivers State in different categories”, Chioma said.

The association’s scribe expressed optimism that the swimmers would make the nation, as well as Rivers State proud.

“I know that my swimmers would make the country and Rivers State proud because I know they have the potentials in them,” he stated.

Chioma further revealed that the state swimming association would soon go out for talent hunt in the rural areas, to ensure that the state unearth good swimmers that would take over from the older ones.

“As I am talking to you, the association has concluded arrangements to go out for talent hunt, so that we can groom them to become stars,” he added.

Tonye Orabere