Sports
THE Director of Sports Development, Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Moses Kolawole, on Wednesday restated the commitment of the state to identifying more promising female athletes that would bring laurels to the state.
Kolawole gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the on-going Summer Sporting programme tagged “Awaken the Giant, She Can 3.0.
NAN reports that `Awaken the Giant, She Can’ is a free three weeks Summer Table-tennis and Mentorship clinic for girls, starting from the age of five.
The programme, holding at the Knock-up Hall, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, in partnership with Nigeria Table-tennis Federation and Additional Plus Sports and Education (APSE), has over 50 girls in attendance.
The LSSC Director told NAN that the state was ready to support any private initiative aimed at complementing the state’s drive at encouraging more female athletes in sports.
“The LSSC have a mission to make sure that we are the best state in sports in the federation and I am happy that we have not done less.
“Lagos has been the hub of sports development in Africa and at the same time we do give both gender equal opportunities because we don’t segregate.
“In addition to this, we are also conscious of the fact that we need more female athletes to come on board to participate in sports.
“In the available records, Lagos State has been producing great female talents that have done the state and the country proud at local and international competitions,” Kolawole said.
He said that the state also produced a weightlifting double gold medalist at the just-concluded 2022 Commonwealth Games, Adijat Olarinoye, to further stamp the authority of the state as a leading figure in sports development.
“Judging from the last 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Lagos State was able to produce a double gold medalist, Adijat Olarinoye, this is to show that we are passionate about female athletes.
“We are set to look for more outstanding and promising young athletes for the development of sports in Lagos and Nigeria.
“Our amiable sports loving Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu is ready to provide all the support needed in infrastructure and personel.
“For private initiative like this, we will ensure we give our full support so that we will have large pool of athletes, of the talents in the state,’” he said. (NAN)
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Tags: Adijat Olarinoye LSSC Moses Kolawole
