Blessing Okagbare wins the 100mtrs heat at the ANACCalabar
From Gov. Imoke to Blessing Okagbare, a bouquet of flowers after the latter’s victory.
From: Diana Okon-Effiong, CalabarThe 4th edition of the Cross River State/All Nigeria Athletics Championship opened in Calabar with a promise by the state government to sustain sports development and “take youths off the streets’’.
Government’s resolve was restated By Gov. Liyel Imoke of Cross River in an address to flag-off the three-day championship Thursday at the U.J. Esuene Stadium.
“From the inception of this administration in 2007 it has been our honest desire to take youths off the streets and redirect their budding energies to more useful ventures.
“In order to achieve this we embarked on a strategy of packaging a comprehensive sports development programme a couple of years ago.
“ In the process we have provided first class sports equipment and built two additional stadia at the Central and northern senatorial districts of the state.
“Six centres of sports excellence have also been designated to accommodate all the young talented athletes in the state who are ready to improve their fortunes through sports.
“Presently we are renovating and constructing sports facilities in preparation for the National sports festival tagged ` Centenary Games’ slated for November 2014 here in Calabar.
“The Tartan Track you are about to use today is brand new and I am glad that this championship is the first to use it,’’ Imoke said.
He said that the state government was doing all these to ensure that youths are exposed to sporting facilities that would motivate them to fully express themselves in the world that is daily experiencing advancements in sports.
He also charged the professional athletes in the championship to to set new national records and become role models for young stars nurtured in cross River.
In his remark, Mr Patrick Ugbe, the Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, said the state had discovered, groomed and developed a lot of raw talents who had gone on to win laurels for Nigeria.
“The fastest girl in Africa today at the youth level is a product of this programme. Mercy Ntiobong our girl represented Nigeria at the last African Youth Championship in Botswana and won a Gold in the 100 metres dash.
“The success story is endless. Our children have dominated the schools’ sports level in Nigeria for the past three editions winning first positions consecutively,’’ Ugbe sated.
Earlier the AFN President, Evangelist Solomon Ogba, said the state government deserved praise for the turn-around of Blessing Okagbare to a world class competitor in the sprints and the long jump.
“Today we are first, champions, consecutively in the senior, junior and youth categories in Africa. We achieved all these since we came to Calabar on sponsorship by the cross river State Government,’’ he said.
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