Having provided quality equipment, regular camp allowances and conducive atmosphere, the Lagos State athletes have promised to reciprocate the gesture with medals.?
Virtually all the athletes at their various camps were provided with training equipment and materials while regular allowances were also given to the entire team by the state government.
Captain of the boxing team, Olaide Fijabi assured that they would surpass the feat at Rivers 2011. “We are working and training vigorously to win all gold medals in boxing to compensate our sports loving governor, who has invested so much in the team by providing all the necessary training materials that we need. To succeed, we are going to capitalise on our monthly boxing show and that will be a tonic that we need to excel at the festival,” Fijabi promised.
Also, captain of table tennis team, Ayo Omotara, would remain grateful to the governor particularly the state Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development, Wahid Oshodi for ensuring that the team embarked on a 10-day training tour of China.
Omotara, a son of former international, Titus, believes the tour would help the team to excel at Eko 2012. “We learnt a lot from the training tour and we are working hard to win laurels for the state. I am happy that I will be representing the state at the festival. With God on our side, we are optimistic that we will surpass our performance at the last festival in Rivers State,” Omotara said.
Captain of Swimming, Moses Aladin said the priority to athletes’ welfare particularly in the area of aid to athletes will ginger them.
“On our part, we have decided to compensate the governor by wining many gold medals in swimming and we are working hard to achieve that,” he said.
To corroborate the athletes promises, Technical Director, Lagos State Kick Boxing Association, Adegboyega Adeniji-Adele, assured that the kick- boxers would amass many gold medals at the festival.
“We have at our disposal all the necessary training materials for the closed camp. Our athletes are training every day since the commencement of the camp in October and we are double sure that they will do the state proud at the sports festival,” he said.
Head Coach of Cycling, Lateef Oloko added that with the support of government in providing training equipment for the closed camp and prompt payment of allowances to athletes, he is sure that lots of medals would be won at the festival.
Head Coach, Lagos State Sports Council, Kally Agogo disclosed that the state government invested hugely in closed camp of athletes, while all the necessary training equipments were made available for the camping activities. “On our part, we have designed a world class training programme for the preparation of our athletes ahead of the 18th National Sports Festival and our coaches are working day and night on the athletes for them to be fit for the festival.”
Acting Director, Lagos State Sports Council, Grace Asagba stated that all hands are on deck from the sports council management since the commencement of closed camp by ensuring that the athletes are monitored in their various camps.
“We have been monitoring day to day activities at all camp sites and training venues to make sure that everything planed, works out for Team Lagos,” Asagba said.