Sports
Gym’s Renovation Delights Para-Lifters
Para-lifters, who will soon have a modern facility to train and for competition, have expressed delight with Friesland Campina WAMCO Nigeria Plc., makers of Peak Milk for refurbishing their gymnasium at the National Stadium, Lagos.
Tidesports source gathered that the renovation of the weightlifting gymnasium which began on June 13 is expected to be completed by August with state-of-the-art equipment installed.
The project, which cover working stations such as training equipment, changing rooms for the users before and after training, conveniences and an electricity generator is part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility.
WAMCO also provides nutritional support which started in December 2016 with the monthly supply of Peak Milk to the national team of the Nigeria Para-Powerlifting Federation (NPPF).
Some of the athletes and other users who spoke to newsmen in Lagos expressed delight with the development, saying that the renovation of the dilapidated gymnasium would bring great improvement to the sport.
An 86kg 2012 Paralympic gold medallist, Oluwafemi Folashade, described the renovation as the best thing that has ever happened to the lifters who had been training under discomposure.
Folashade, who applauded the company for coming to their rescue, said the renovated gymnasium would go a long way to boost athletes’ zeal for training.
“I just thank God and appreciate Peak Milk for responding to our cry, I believe that our days of training for and out of competitions under adversity are over, ”she said.
Another Paralympian, Tolulope Taiwo, told newsmen that Peak Milk has brought light to the sport which by extension will affect the Para-lifters that make use of the gymnasium.
Taiwo said the renovation of the gymnasium would uplift the state of the sport also enhance training for the users.
“Now we are training outside because of the work going on in the gymnasium and we don’t mind because it is something that we have been praying for.
“The joy of the whole thing is that very soon our gymnasium will be comparable with those we make use of when we travel for international competitions,” he said.
A 2016 gold medallist in the women’s -79kg Powerlifting event, Bose Omolayo, while applauding Peak Milk for the initiative, urged other corporate organisations to emulate the gesture.
Omolayo said that, the project was a significant way of identifying with the para-lifters in their quest to sustain their passion in bringing honour to the nation in major Games.
“We have many needs of which Peak milk have set the ball rolling so we expect other companies to also come and do something like sponsoring competitions,” she said.
World record holder with a 220kg lift in the men’s -65 kg in powerlifting, Paul Kehinde, told newsmen that he was impressed by the tremendous support of Friesland Campina WAMCO Nigeria Plc.
Kehinde said that the organisation associated with the athletes in December 2016 and had consistently provided Peak Milk for the athletes monthly at the National Stadium, Lagos.
Sports
Football Pundit Lauds Chelle’s Effort In Monitoring Nigeria League Players
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.
Sports
LGA Boss Pledges To Reintroduce School Sports
Sports
Ezechukwu Eyes Double Gold In African Champs
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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