Jare Olukotun
While medals remain the ultimate prize at any competition, Lagos is doing more at the ongoing Gateway Games 2024 by also preparing its young athletes as future champions.
In the women’s 4x200m Freestyle relay event, Team Lagos fielded an inspiring quartet of teenagers still in secondary school: Daniella Akanbi, Olutise Nedd, Nesomagh Nwizu, and Funmilayo Demehin. Competing against older, more experienced athletes, many of whom are twice their age.
The team finished with a time of 11:26.28.
Their performance resonated deeply with the Gateway Games LOC, spectators and sports administrators and stakeholders alike, symbolising Lagos State’s deliberate commitment to long-term talent grooming.
The exposure shows that, rather than focusing solely on instant victories, the Lagos State Sports Commission has taken a strategic approach, prioritising early exposure, technical development, and the psychological readiness of its young athletes.
Commenting on the performance, the Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr. Lekan Fatodu, praised the swimmers and reiterated the Commission’s developmental philosophy.
“We are not just here to win medals, we’re here to build champions,” Fatodu remarked.
The sports commission’s director general explained, “By giving these young athletes a platform at this level, we’re planting seeds that will blossom in a few years. It’s about grooming, consistent exposure, and ensuring they grow with the confidence and resilience needed to succeed nationally and globally.”
He added that Lagos remains committed to sustaining this pipeline of talent across all sports, ensuring that athletes are not just discovered, but properly nurtured to reach their full potential.
