Kunle Adelabu
Athletes that would be representing Lagos State at the National Sports Festival tagged, ‘Edo 2020’ have assured Lagosians that they would improve on their previous performance by winning more gold medals.
Bulk of the athletes, who are currently being trained at the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu main campus and Strong Tower n Ikorodu, in preparation for the sporting competitions involving all states in the federation, spoke with some selected community media reporters on Monday.
This year’s edition of the sporting event would commence on March 22 in Benin, Edo State, and the athletes representing the state are currently being camped at the Relief Centre in Agbowa and Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
Team Lagos came 4th with 36 gold, 37silver and 73 bronze medals in the 2018 edition of the sport festival held in the Abuja and the team is expected to improve on the last performance. Lagos came behind Delta, Rivers and Edo States that emerged first, second and third respectively.
For this year’s festival, Lagos will be competing in 40 games (8 team sports and 32 individual sports) and with 680 athletes.
Lagos State, on Sunday, March 8, officially opened the two camps for the athletes with Football, Basketball, Rugby, Karate, Wushu Kung fu, Taekwondo, Scrabble, Cricket, Volleyball, Ayo and Danbe teams training at the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu main campus.
Other teams that are using facilities in Ikorodu to prepare for the sports festival are Beach Volleyball, Judo, Langa and Abula among others.
Speaking with some of the athletes while being conducted round the camp, some of them assured Lagosians that they are going to win more medals at the forthcoming Edo festival.
Idris Aminat, a member of the Taekwondo team who competed in Port Harcourt 2011, Eko 2012 (winning a gold medal) and Abuja 2018 (two silver medals), said that:
“The engagement in camp has been fine and we are eating good food. We have been training and the environment is very conducive.
“Our coaches are really engaging us and the facilities on ground are adequate.
“Everyone is trying to keep fit and prepare for the festival because it’s not going to be easy in Edo. We are trying to measure up and by the grace of God, we are going to do it”, she assured.
“I hope and pray to win four gold medals in the coming sports festival”, she stated.
Another member of the Taekwondo team, Rasheed Amusa who won a gold medal in Abuja 2018, stated that the teams are doing everything to cover lost grounds by engaging in intense training.
“We are doing everything to get to where we have to get to. Everything is going on well”
“A champion will always want to remain a champion. We want to go there and win more medals”, he stated.
“The state government has done very well but there are lots that still need to be improved on. Training is a strategic exercise for anybody participating in championship like this. We want early camping because it helps everyone involve.
Osibote Omotayo, a Scrabble player who became a professional in 2012 when he represented the Lagos State at Eko 2012 where he won a bronze medal, said that:
“The training has been intense. But then, we are coping and really training well.
“Scrabble for Lagos is a medal game for Lagos, so, medals are assured. At least, we are going to win six gold medals”.
Ikorodu Division, which has provided the state with athletes in many games since the inception of the National Sports Festival, is a good location for camping in preparation for any tournament because of its serene and friendly nature.
Residents that are witnessing the training of the athletes in Ikorodu are asking the state government to take advantage of the good atmosphere provided by the division to upgrade various sporting facilities in the area and provide more where necessary.
They have been calling on the government to fulfill its pledge of building a stadium in the division, rehabilitate the damaged Ipakan sport centre, Igbogbo Township stadium and Police Barracks Playing Ground to compliment the facilities at the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu main campus.
Meanwhile, the Edo State Government announced yesterday that it was confident and prepared to host 11, 500 athletes and officials during 20th National Sports Festival which kicks off in Benin City on March 22.
The government gave the assurance in the wake of threats posed by Corona virus which have led to the suspension of various sporting events across Europe and America.
