Representative and Sports President Bola Tinubu receives the National Youth Games trophy from Delta State Governor Sheriff Obolewori (right) as others look on during the opening ceremony of the 8th National Youth Games at the Stephen Keshi Stadium. Minister of Development John Hainaut (left). Asaba
…We are happy to continue to provide space and opportunities for young people to showcase their talents – Obolewori
President Bola Tinubu has said there is no better way to develop sports in the country than by focusing on grassroots sports development as represented by the National Youth Games (NYG).
He said this while inaugurating the 8th NYG Games with the theme “Developing Young Nigerian Athletes for a Better Tomorrow” at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, Delta State, last Thursday.
The President, who was represented by John Enoch, Minister of Sports Development, said that the NYG is dedicated to finding and developing talent, and that the nation will continue to use the Olympics as a place to nurture and develop human resources for the future of our country. He added that he must continue to capture it. Sports.
“My hope is that the various sports federations representing our country can come here to watch matches related to their respective sports and discover first-hand the talent we need to develop for the future of our country. “It’s a sport,” he said.
He noted that his administration is committed to repositioning sports for optimal performance in line with the “New Hope” agenda, and further investing in grassroots sports development is essential. he pointed out.
Regarding the age limit for competitions, which are currently 15 and under, the president said he has agreed with governors to return the competition to its original age classification of 17 and under.
He commended the Delta State government and people for their sustained commitment and support to the development of grassroots sports in the country.
In his address, Sheriff Obolewori of Delta State said the state is known for effective sports development in the country.
“It is our pleasure and pride to host this event for the second year in a row.As we all know, Delta State is synonymous with sports in Nigeria.
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“We are pleased to continue to provide space and opportunity for our country’s youth to showcase their talents and ensure that there is a standard program for the development of athletes in the country.
He expressed his gratitude to the Federal Ministry of Sports Development and the Local Organizing Committee for their firm stance in organizing the NYG.
“With approximately 6,000 athletes and over 1,000 officials participating, this year’s tournament is a record.
“The Delta State Government is proud to partner with the Federal Ministry of Sports Development to ensure that the goals and objectives of this event are realized. NYG is a powerful vehicle for athlete development.
The governor condemned the decline in Nigeria’s performance level in recent sporting events and recommended that the age limit for the National Youth Games be returned to its original U-17 cap instead of the current U-15.
“This is to provide our talented “senior teenagers and young adults” with a platform to quickly transition from junior to senior categories for Team Nigeria in all sports and matches without any breaks or vacuum. is.
“It is equally essential that each state prioritizes school sports programs. Intramural sports competitions should be made compulsory in elementary and junior high schools, and school sports days should be consolidated.”
Recall that the first edition of NYG was held in Abuja from December 5th to 15th.
The current venue, Delta State University, hosted the 7th edition last year (2016 ) until 2021).
This time, we will introduce sporting events such as track and field, badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, boxing, chess, cricket, cycling, and darts that will be held at various venues in Asaba from September 9th to 19th.
Other activities include deaf sports, soccer, golf, gymnastics, handball, hockey, judo, karate, kickboxing, kung fu, para track and field, para table tennis, rugby 7, scrabble,
The rest include Scrabble, shooting, squash, swimming, table tennis, Taekwondo, tennis, Toradoh Sports (Kokwa), volleyball, weightlifting, and wrestling.
