Sports
Edo 2020: Cross River Athletes Ready To Win Laurels – Ayade
As part of the tradition and requirements for the National Sports Festival, the ‘Unity Torch’ which symbolises unity and the symbol of the festival has been received in Calabar,the Cross River State capital by the Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, at the U. J. Esuene Sports Stadium, Calabar.
Speaking during the reception of the unity torch, the state governor, Prof. Ben Ayade said that the state is a major player in the National Sports Festival and is happy to have received the torch, adding that the enthusiasm in the air as conveyed by the athletes indicates that they are ready to storm Edo 2020 and win many laurels.
The Governor who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Ivara Ejemot Esu, averred that “Cross River State no dey carry last” and that the state athletes have been training very hard and he is sure they will come back with as many gold medals as possible and make the state proud.
He wished the athletes the best as they compete in the festival, calling on Nigerians to watch out for Cross River athletes as they are ready to give them the best competition.
Also speaking, the Cross River State Commissioner for Sports and Cinematography, Chief Offu Aya stated that Athletes from the state have been training and are ready to make Cross River proud and return back her glory days, adding that their rigorous training would pay off as they compete against their opponents from other states.
The Commissioner charged them to be good ambassadors of the State and put in their best to ensure that many laurels in Golds are won for the state.
On his part, the Zonal Coordinator, South South Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr Sylvester Essiet, explained that every festival, the torch of unity goes round the federation, informing that the significance is that it promotes peace, unity and friendship, which is the hallmark of sports.
He further explained that the unity torch relay was flagged off on the 30th of January, 2020 by the President and has gone round the states in the Noth East, North Central, North West and South East while Calabar marks the beginning of the South South states tour, noting that after the South South states, the torch would move to the South West and finally to Edo State on the 22nd of March for the official opening ceremony of the 20th National Sports Festival.
Mr Essiet also informed that the host state is more than 90% ready for the festival and all the athletes and sports enthusiasts are looking forward to a fantastic and robust festival come 22nd March to April 1, 2020 in Edo State.
He therefore, called on all stakeholders irrespective of their state of origin to support and make sure it succeeds, noting that the National Sports Festival is an opportunity and a platform for the country to identify and produce athletes that will represent the country continentally.
By: Friday Nwagbara, Calabar
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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