Sports
London 2012: DG Assures Nigerians 0f 10 Gold Medals
Nigerian athletes have the capability to win about 10 gold medals at the Olympics and Paralympic Games later in the year, according to Patrick Ekeji, Director-General of the National Sports Commission.
Ekeji told newsmen on Monday, in Abuja, that the commission’s optimism of a successful outing was because of the ongoing preparation for the two competitions.
“Our objective now is to have about 10 gold medals, and we are positive that we can get them at both games in view of our preparations in both categories of Games,’’ he said.
However, Ekeji said that the number of medals expected from the athletes was a projection.
“No country can tell you at this moment the number of medals its athletes will win in London; it is only China, perhaps, who are the defending champions.
“But what we are doing is to ensure we perform better than we did at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and I am sure we are on course to do that,’’ he said.
The former Green Eagles defender said that he would only be able to speak specifically on Nigeria’s participation at the two Games in the coming weeks.
“Before we go for the Games, it will be possible to say something about the specifics of what we can win at the Games.
“But right now, I can only say our preparations are on course and we are pleased with what we have presently,’’ Ekeji said.
Our correspondent reports that the 2012 Olympic Games will hold in London from July 27 to August 12, with Nigeria taking part in seven sports.
The event will be followed at the same venue by the 2012 Paralympic Games, which will hold from August 29 to September 9, with the Nigerian team participating in three sports.
The director-general said that the two games were important to Nigeria because of the premium it placed on the development of all categories of athletes.
“We are devoting attention to both Games because we know the importance of both events, and the capability of our athletes in all the sports to be competed for,’’ he said.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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