The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, has urged the country’s Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) contingent to see their participation at the forthcoming 22nd National Sports Festival in Ogun State as a bold step towards attaining greatness.
During his visit to the athletes’ training camp in Abuja, Olopade engaged in an interactive session aimed at boosting their morale before the Games.
He underscored the significance of the upcoming competition, while reminding the athletes of their pivotal role as the future of Nigerian sports.
He emphasized that their participation in the Games presented a historic opportunity for them.
“This is the first time Nigeria is having this sort of arrangement. That means for those of you who finally make it to Abeokuta, your names would have been written in the history book forever. So work very hard to qualify to go to Abeokuta,” Olopade said.
Olopade expressed the Commission’s belief in the talents of young people in the country, saying, “We created the Invited Junior Athletes concept because we believe in the talents of young people that are bound in this country.
“If you have gone to the Youth Games and you are champion, let us then see how you grow into the elite cadre. And the only way you can grow into that cadre is by competing and beating the Elite Athletes.”
The NSC DG also assured the athletes of incentives for outstanding performance, saying, “I want to assure you all that if you win 10 gold medals at the festival in Ogun State, you have a big gift from the chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko.”
Olopade urged the athletes to take their participation seriously and to strive for excellence.
“Once again, I have come to say thank you for your service to the nation, thank you for loving what you know how to do best, and above all, to charge you that this thing that you have started, May God lead and guide you all to greater heights.”
Persecondnews learnt that IJA will compete in nine sports at the Gateway Games, including Athletics, Badminton, Football, Para Athletics, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Wrestling, and Weightlifting.
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