Edo 2020: Ogun Targets Medals In 32 Sports, As Preparations Continue
By ABIODUN JIMOH, ABEOKUTA
As preparations for the 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) billed for Edo State thickens, Ogun State Sports Council has disclosed its readiness to fight for honour in a total of 32 various sports at the festival.
The long awaited biennial sports festival initially scheduled to hold in March, 2020 was shifted due to the outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic that ravaged the whole world, whereby thousands of lives were lost globally.
However, with the gradual reprieve from the virus, the festival, being split into two phases is to commence from December 3rd – 18th, 2020 at the newly reconstructed Samuel Ogbemudia stadium, Benin City and eight other venues within the ancient city.
Therefore, as the phase one commences on December 3rd-10th, Ogun State athletes are to feature in abula, badminton, chess, darts, karate, kick-boxing, kungfu, rugby, scrabble, squash, swimming, tennis and wrestling at the festival.
Similarly, for the second phase which will start from December 12th – 16th, 2020, 0gun will vie for honour in athletics, deaf-athletics, para-athletics, ayo, dambe, golf, gymnastics, judo, beach volleyball, and deaf-table tennis. Others are para-table tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, para-powerlifting and weightlifting.
In the same vein, Ogun State athletes will partake in boxing, cricket, volleyball, and cycling being parts of sports that are overlapping into the two phases beginning from December 7th – 15th, 2020.
In an interview with Mrs. Rotimi Folakemi Iyabode, the Acting Director of Sports, Ogun State Sports Council on the state preparation for the festival, she disclosed that the state in her usual way of doing things has started preparation for this sports festival long time ago.
She said: “According to our own way of doing things in Ogun State, it is always Iseya, omo Ogun iseya. So, whenever we finished a festival, the following day when we get back to the state, it is to start preparation for the next festival.
“As for this festival, we have began preparation since, it was just because of issue of the Covid-19 pandemic that made some sports people to stay at home for sometime. But, at the period that the Federal Government allowed us to start sporting activities in Nigeria and in Ogun state, we have started fully.”
Speaking on the expectations at the festival, the former national tennis player noted: “As usual our athletes are so dedicated, hardworking, also the officials, as we can see now that in the past few days we have been deliberating, cracking brains and coming to work early everyday and close work late to ensure that we perform better than before at the festival.
“So in Ogun State, both the athletes and officials too, we are ready. Our target is to do better than what we have been doing before, we are promising several gold medal at the event.”
Furthermore, her response towards the camping of the athletes revealed: “Already we are in open camp, but very soon, the athletes and their coaches will embark on closed camping ahead of the festival.”
