National Youth Games: Team Lagos storms Ilorin with 248 athletes

Team Lagos athletes arrived in Ilorin, Kwara State on Friday ahead of their participation at the 5th National Youth Games, which commence this weekend.
The contingent, comprising 248 Athletes, Coaches, Association Secretaries and other Officials, departed Lagos on Friday and arrived safely at their various accommodation at the University of Ilorin Hostels.
Participating at the National Youth Games for the second consecutive year, Team Lagos will compete in 33 individual and team sports events with the hope of bettering their overall second place position last year.
The Director General, Lagos State Sports Commission, Oluwatoyin Gafaar, while giving a pep talk to the team charged the Athletes to give their best, adding that it is not win at all cost for the state, but to continue the progress made in the development of athletes from the grassroots with necessary exposure and support.
The Director General stated: “Learn to work hard and pray.
“If you train hard, prayers will speed up the process.
“We’ve done all that is necessary for us to excel at the Games with the permission of His Excellency, Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, who gave us moral and financial support.
“All that is expected of us is to make the state proud and I believe that at the end of Games, we will all be proud of ourselves.”
The Chairman, Lagos State Sports commission, Dr. Kweku Tandoh, encouraged the athletes and officials to reflect excellence on and off the field, stating that the state will not tolerate any act of indiscipline.
Tandoh said: “Lagos is the Center of excellence and that’s what we should portray at the Games in Ilorin.
“For us it is a total picture.
“So I want people to see us and say those athletes from Lagos are well behaved and very disciplined, we don’t want officials fighting or confronting referees.
“If we have issues regarding officiating, we will address them appropriately without confrontation.
“We will compete fair and I’m sure we will have reasons to celebrate all of you at the end of the Games.”