Commissioner, Nasarawa State Ministry Of Youth And Sports Development, Amb. Lucky Isaac Yargwa has predicted victory for her contingents in all sporting activities during the 21 National Sports Festival.
Yargwa stated this while briefing Journalists on Saturday Dec 3, 2022 the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, during the 21st National Sports Festival.
He said he was hopeful that they would surpass their previous medal records in the National Sports Festival.
According to the Commissioner, Team Nassarawa had earlier arrived Asaba in preparation for the 27 sporting events they were to patriciate in.
He said that in ensuring they excel at the festival, their sport-loving Governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, had supported them and made it possible for them to be at the events, adding that they had the largest number of contingent, comprising 181 athletes, 33 coaches, eight referees, 27 sports secretaries, 20 accompanying officials, two medical personnel and six security details.
He also revealed that the Governor, had graciously redeemed the sum of 16.5 million pledge he made to athletes who won medals at last year’s Sports Festival in Edo State.
“We are deliberate in building sports infrastructure and supporting human resource development for optimum performance and healthy competition wherever we find ourselves”.
According to him, Team Nasarawa started participating at the Sports Festival in 1998, as it was their 11th appearance at the National Sports Festival since the creation of the state in 1996, adding that it had provided them the opportunity to showcase what we have, both talent and sports-wise.
He said Team Nasarawa won a total of 22 medals, which include 5 gold, four silver and 13 bronze medals, and finished 18th out of 36 States and FCT, Abuja, on the medals’ table during the 2021 edition of the Sports Festival in Edo State.
“So far, Team Nasarawa has won three medals – one Silver from Para-Table Tennis and two coming from Taekwondo events(Poomsae Individual and Poomsae Team Event” he said.
“Some of our athletes are already in the medal stage in some sports, and before the end of today, we should have more medals in our cabin”.
He also predicted Team Nasarawa to be amongst the top ten highest medal-winning States, before the end of the Festival, adding that their athletes and coaches were more than motivated to deliver results.
He also commended the organizers of the Sports Festival, including the Delta State Government, the Federal Government and Partners for ensuring that the event doesn’t only hold, but meets the required standard, adding that the facilities were wonderful, the coordination is welcoming and the hostel accommodation, especially for his contingent members, excellent.
“Even though you can’t guarantee a perfect Event, but I must say Delta State has fulfilled its promise of hosting a historic Sports Festival, and this is evident to everyone”.
“However, I want to call on the organizers to put search lights in and around Event Centres to ensure that the aims and objectives of the Sports Festival are not eroded by selfish stakeholders whose motive is to favour some States at the expense of others, probably due to pecuniary gains”.
“They must stick to the rules and regulations guiding the competition and ensure that talents, irrespective of the State they come from, are discovered and be nurtured to represent the country at international sports meet”, he said.
The Commissioner said the peaceful co-existence, love for one another and acceptance of social, cultural, religious and economic values should and must be preached, as that’s why the Sports Festival was established.
