Sports
NYG: Minister To Declare Games Open, Today
The opening ceremony of the fourth edition of National Youth Games, holding in Ilorin, Kwara State, will take place, at the University of Ilorin Stadium, Kwara State, later today.
Minister of Youth and Sports in the country, Solomon Dalung is expected to declare the event open, as 31 states are set to participate in this year’s edition as against 27 in last edition.
Athletes, coaches and team leaders from various States looks prepared for the Under 15 Youth Games, they have equally expressed optimism that they will win medals in the competition, following their different level of preparedness.
Rivers State Director of Sports, Evangelist Ezekiel Ordu restated that his team is set to win, saying that the athletes are in high spirit.
According to him, the athletes are committed and determined to make the state, their friends and parents proud.
“ We are here to win the competition, because we are prepared for the games, in terms of training and otherwise.
The state government gave us all the support that is required to win the competition, consequently we will not disappoint the state” Ordu said.
Speaking the Bayelsa State Director of Sports, Patimidi Tukuru, said he is optimistic that his team will win the games.
“ Actually I want to give thanks to God for giving us the opportunity to see this year.
Last year our team came sixth position, but this year with our level of preparedness and all what we have done we will win, in spite the fact that we registered only 19 sports” Tukuru said.
Also speaking, the Director of sports in Ogun State, Adesola A.Falite called on the officials to officiate without bias and sentiments, so that the competition will achieve its aims and objectives.
“My advice is that the officials should do their job without bias and sentiments, so the purpose of the games will be achieved “ Falite said
He also boasted to win the competition, saying that the governor of his state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has provided everything that can make them win the games.
Tonye Orabere in Ilorin
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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