*Swimmers Sweep 23 Medals
Director General, Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu, has described the state 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 event at the ongoing 9th National Youth Game was concluded on Tuesday, with Team Lagos finishing tops with 23 medals; 19 gold, 4 silver, ahead of Edo State in distant second with 10 medals, 3 gold, 3 silver and 4 bronz,e while the host, Delta state, completed the top three with 2 gold, 10 silver and 5 bronze medals.
Fatodu noted that the dominance displayed, backed by the exceptional performance of Lagos athletes, was orchestrated by remarkable investment, competent human resources and managerial acumen, and effective leadership of Lagos State Sports Commission.
“It’s actually a testament, a validation of the resources, support, and infrastructural improvement that Mr 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 this event”.
“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 the position of Lagos State 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.”
The athletes were cheered on by their mates in other sports and their parents at the Swimming Pool of the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.
The Youth Games serve as an avenue for states to discover, nurture, and develop athletes from the grassroots. Fatodu states 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”, Fatodu stated.
As the multi-sport event progresses, Lagos athletes are not only winning medals, but they are also writing their names in the history books of the Games, scooping medals across different disciplines.
