Team Ogun Win South-West Para-Powerlifting Developmental Championship

By ABIODUN JIMOH, ABEOKUTA
Ogun State Para-Powerlifting Team have emerged winners at the maiden edition of South-West Para-Powerlifting Developmental Championship concluded on Wednesday at the Otunba Dipo Dina international stadium, Ijebu Ode.
The championship being sponsored by the host state government, was also supported by ValuJet, Sweet 107.1 FM and among others is aimed at developing the game at the grassroots level, while its theme ‘Using sports to eliminate street begging’ is the core value.
The debut edition developmental championship featured para-powerlifters across the South-West states in a keenly competitive events in both male and female category respectively, while upcoming athletes exhibited their talents as well.
However, at the end of the four days championship, Team Ogun tutored by Coach Oluwakemi Oyebola led the medals table with ten gold, one silver and one silver, totalling 12 medals to beat other states from the region.
Placing second on the medals log was Team Lagos with a distant three gold, six silver and two bronze, totaling eleven medals, while Team Oyo won three gold, four silver and three bronze medals to place third.
Speaking at the event, Ogun State sports council, director of sports, Sola Faleti, who could not hide his joy thanked all those who contributed positively to the successful organisation of the championship that brought para-powerlifters across the southwest to the state.
He hinted that with what he witnessed at the championship, it would be a stepping  stone for the state towards the forthcoming national sports festival in Edo State, in which the state would come back with lots of medals in the event. While he wished all  the participants journey mercy back home.
Similarly, in his closing remark, Deacon Gbolahan Eweje, Chairman, Ogun State Para-Powerlifting Association appreciated the immense contribution of the state government for sponsoring the event, as well as her support in kind.
Eweje, the national vice president, Para-Powerlifting Federation said: ‘I will also like to appreciate our benefactor, Otunba Kunle Soname, who has been very supportive and has donated training equipment worth millions of naira for use of our lifters, among other donations he has made.
“We are using this opportunity to appeal to our governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun to please give us a piece of land that we can use to build a standard and befitting training gym and secretariat. Please, this is one request we want you to help us with.”
In another development, Coach Oyebola attributed her team victory to hardwork and dedication on the part of the athletes and officials. Adding that the kind of support received from the state government towards the championship was worth replicating.
“We give God all the glory, we have been on this for about four months ago, God deserves all the glory for crowning it with victory for us. There is no magic apart from dedication, and God.
“We will keep training since we have new and standard equipment now. The athletes are really with this equipment. We prepare for this championship without equipment, now that we have standard training equipment, the sky is the beginning,” she said. 
The highlight of the event was presentation of awards to the wife if  the state governor, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun; Ogun State sports council, director of sports, Sola Faleti, and his deputy director of sports, Mrs. Iyabo Rotimi; Coach Oyebola and many others for their selfless service to the success of the championship.