9TH NATIONAL YOUTH GAMES: LAGOS' DOMINANCE, RESULTS OF INVESTMENT IN GRASSROOTS SPORTS DEVELOPMENT - LSSC
Director-General, Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Lekan Fatodu, has described the State's dominance of the swimming event at the ongoing National Youth Games as a validation of the state government's investment in grassroots sports development.
The swimming competition was concluded on Tuesday, with Lagos finishing tops with 23 medals; 19 gold, four silver, ahead of Edo State in second place with 10 medals, three gold, three silver and four bronze, while the host, Delta State, completed the top three with two gold, 10 silver and five bronze medals.
Fatodu noted that the dominant display backed by exceptional performance of Lagos athletes was orchestrated by remarkable investment, competent human resources, managerial acumen and effective leadership of Lagos State Sports Commission.
"It's actually a testament and validation of the resources, support, and infrastructural improvement that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is doing. The manifestation of that investment is what we have seen in the performances of our athletes and the outcomes in terms of multiple gold medals that Lagos athletes have gotten in this event," said Fatodu.
Speaking further, he said, "There's no better way to rate the performance than what we have seen in terms of the multiple gold medals the swimmers have earned. It has actually reaffirmed Lagos State's position as the leader in swimming in Nigeria. It has also further proven that currently, Lagos swimmers U-15 athletes are actually the best across Nigeria, and we will continue to do better."
For the highly successful outing, athletes were cheered on by their mates in other sports and their parents at the Swimming Pool of the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba. The National Youth Games serve as an avenue for states to discover, nurture, and develop athletes from the grassroots.
Fatodu emphasised that the developmental competition should be prioritised to produce future athletes who will represent the country. "Sporting events foster unity and peace and bring people from different parts of the country together. They provide a platform for positive interactions and motivate young athletes, offering them a pathway of self-actualisation, realisation, and future greatness," he stated.
As the multi-sports event progresses, Lagos athletes are not only winning medals, they are writing their names in the history books of the Games, scooping medals across different disciplines.
More photos below.
Comments
Post a Comment