Sports
AYG: Gold Medalists To Participate In Olympic Games
The National Sports Com
mission (NSC) has said that all the athletes who won gold medals for Nigeria at the just-concluded African Youth Games (AYG) would be at the forthcoming Youth Olympics Games (YOG).
Director General of the commission, Gbenga Elegbeleye, stated this after receiving the athletes at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja.
Elegbeleye said the athletes’ presence at the YOG was guaranteed, even if their sport’s national federations would not be at the Games slated to hold in China on August.
The Team Nigeria to the second edition of the AYG, held in Gaborone, Botswana, won 41 medals.
This had comprised 19 gold, eight silver and 13 bronze medals.
“Every Nigerian is proud of you, starting from President Goodluck Jonathan, because you went there, conquered and came back.
“At the last outing in Morocco in 2010, we had 10 medals. But we have surpassed that feat with this outing, and that means that you are all golden athletes.
“But, I promise you that those of you that won gold at the AYG will be at the YOG later in the year. Even if your federations are not going, we will get you there,’’ Elegbeleye said. The NSC director-general said all the athletes should see the AYG as a stepping stone to greater heights.
“As from today, you are all preparing for something greater than what you have achieved.
“Nigeria will be going for the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Brazil and I believe that you all are not too young to be Olympic medalists.
‘’Even those who did not win gold in Botswana, I am sure that after this, you will perform better than you did now.
“So, I believe that your best is yet to come,’’ he said. Elegbeleye however commended the national under-15 football team for winning gold in spite of having a little time for preparation.
“I want to particularly commend the football team because we nearly disbanded them.
“They had little time to prepare, but the Director of Competitions at the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Mohammed Sanusi, said they have a team that can win gold and they did.
‘’For those that did not win any medal at all, I believe it was probably because of the situation at hand or you were not psychologically prepared.
The championship will run from today to October 12 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. On the ground for the championship are athletes from Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Cameroon, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mauritius and Rwanda. They arrived on Sunday.
Some of the other countries were expected in the Abia State capital yesterday. Speaking on the championship, yesterday, Abia State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwobilor Ananaba, said the chief host, Governor Alex Otti, has mobilised facilities and the personnel to ensure a successful event.
Speaking through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Raymond Chima Ukwa, said: “We have the best mats, playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, which is the first of its kind in West Africa.
“If you go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable world-class playing field.” Thrilled by Governor Otti’s support for the competition, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) President, Francis Orbih, said that, besides making all the necessary arrangements that will ensure a successful hosting of the events, “we will have a Para-Badminton workshop for coaches and players.
“Nigeria is doing well, Abia is doing well, and we want to do better to improve on where we are, which is why all these have been put together by Governor Otti.”
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their campaign at the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup with a narrow 1–0 loss to Norway on Monday, despite creating several opportunities to level the game.
Norway took the lead in the 9th minute after being awarded a controversial penalty. The Flying Eagles pressed for an equaliser but were denied two penalty claims in the second half.
Kparobo Arierhi came close in the 47th minute when his shot drifted wide with the goalkeeper beaten, while Tahir Maigana struck the upright in the 63rd minute.
Nasiru Salihu’s rising effort in the 71st minute also went narrowly over the bar, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Seven minutes from time, Maigana again tested Norway with a long-range strike that went just wide as Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure.
Despite their dominance, the Flying Eagles could not find the breakthrough and now turn their attention to Thursday’s clash against Saudi Arabia in their second group match.
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