Team Lagos Athletes are ready to do the State proud as Lagos hosts the Southwest Zonal Eliminations ahead of the 20th National Sports Festival holding in March in Benin, Edo State.
The Chairman, Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr. Sola Aiyepeku, who disclosed this during a visit by the Management of the Sports Commission to Team Lagos Athletes and officials at the Faith Apartment in Bariga on Monday night, said Lagos is fully ready to host a memorable competition and ensure that its athletes qualify for all the nine sports at the qualifiers.
He explained that 250 Male and Female participants will represent Lagos and compete in nine Team Sports during the qualifying tournament starting on Wednesday at different venues across the State, pointing out that this is the first time in 47 years that Lagos is hosting the National Sports Festival Southwest Zonal qualifiers for team events.
Aiyepeku said the visit to the Camp was to see how the athletes are faring, motivate the Team and give the contingent all necessary support to excel at the Competition.
In his words “We know the usual things about motivation and we’ve done all that we can do and push the responsibility back to the Athletes. If they don’t go pass this stage, they don’t get to participate in the main event. We need everybody to get to the main event and that is why we are here to see how they are doing in camp. I just had a meal here myself, I ate Semovita and that is the same the athletes are having and I’m sure they enjoyed it. Everything is going on well at the camp, there’s light, there’s water and we are ready to have a good time at the Zonal Elimination”.
Assuring the Team of the support and commitment of the Lagos State Government, Aiyepeku urged the athletes to give their best in view of motivation and training provided by the State for over one month.
Teams from Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo will battle with Team Lagos for slots in sports such as Football, Basketball, Cricket, Handball, Hockey, Volleyball, Beach Volleyball, Rugby and Abula at Agege Stadium.
The Teslim Balogun Stadium; National Stadium, Surulere; Elegbata Sports Complex, Tafawa Balewa Square Cricket Oval and Rowe Park Sports Centre are the venues hosting the Southwest Zonal Eliminations.
