Sports
Force Headquarters Emerges Winners At Police Games
Force Headquarters (FHQ), Abuja, at the weekend dethroned Zone 2 to emerged as the overall winner of the Nigeria Police Games tagged “Anambra 2020”.
Tidesports source reports that FHQ garnered a total of 274 medals comprising of 118 gold, 80 silver and 74 bronze to top the overall medals table to relegate defending champions Zone 2 to 2nd place with 230 medals.
The medals table showed that Zone 2 (Lagos and Ogun) had gold, 83 silver 85 and 62 bronze to finish the games as runners up while Zone 11 placed 3rd with total of 156 medals of 53 gold, 48 silver and 55 bronze.
Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra, while declaring the games closed urged the athletes to project the state in positive light having enjoyed the hospitality and peace of residents of the state.
“When I reflect on what has happened here since we gathered here only last Saturday, I begin to realise that so much has happened in just one week.
“Again, when I reflect on what has happened, I begin to realise that we can write a new sporting chapter of history in one week and that we can also write a new book of greatness in one week.
“History and greatness is what this games has done and we have put out an amazing narrative of excellence in one week.
“Hosting the 12th edition of the biennial police games has brought out the best in us; nothing else unites a people like sports and nothing renews national unity and heals the cracks between people like sports.
“I have no doubt that many of the participants of this games may never have visited Anambra if not for “Anambra 2020”.
“I am sure that after experiencing Anambra for seven days, the athletes and officials will have a more balanced view of the state and a richer story to tell,” Obiano said.
The governor urged the participants of the games to preach the success story of the state to their respective states, families and friends.
Obiano boasted that Anambra had become a destination of choice for those seeking for peace.
He expressed joy that the games was successfully concluded without any unpleasant incident.
It would be recalled that 12 Zones of the Nigeria Police Force including Force Headquarters participated in the games which took place in over 10 centres in Anambra.
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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