Following their superlative performances in the recently concluded U-12 and U-15 Boys and Girls Handball championships in Isanlu, Kogi State under-15 boys and girls have qualified to represent Nigeria in the 2013 Partille cup holding in Sweden later in the year.
The state Handballer clinched two Gold and two bronze medals in the championships while two of its athletes received the highest goal scorer and the Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards.
In the same vein, the state Volleyballers in the U-16 male category clinched a gold medal in the U-16 Volleyball zonal championship held in Ilorin as well received the best receiver through award at the chief of Naval Volleyball open championships in Ilorin.
While presenting the trophies to the Commissioner of Youths and Sports, Mr. Authony Puke, the state Director of sports Malam Abdulahi Hadi Opotu praised the efforts of the team in winning laurels for the state, adding that the commissioner’s efforts in making sure that Kogi State is brought to the fore front in sporting activities need to be praised.
He recalled that since the commissioner assumed duty in the sports ministry he has been making efforts in ensuring that the ministry does not lack behind in sporting activities in Nigeria hence the team’s success to represent Nigerian in Sweden later in the year.
The chief coach of the winning team Mr. Obakanchi Onipe pledged that if given the necessary support, the Kogi team would always top in various games.
Receiving the trophies, the commissioner said he felt proud and expressed gratitude to God for making the success happen during his time as the commissioner of sports and praised the team for working as a group which made them win the trophies.
He urged all sports loving people of Kogi Sate to support the transformation agenda of his Excellency, Capt. Idris Wada so that Kogi State will always top in all sporting activities in Nigeria and beyond, charging that the team must put more efforts while preparing for Sweden later this year to represent Nigeria, the commissioner added.
In an interview with the press, the commissioner expressed joy for the success so far recorded by Kogi state Sports Ministry and promised to laise with the governor so that more success would be recorded in sports.
The secretary of Sports, Alhaji Ibrahim Ida Momoh told the commissioner that it is important not to be delaying funds meant for sporting preparations and that the team should always be taken care of so that Kogi State don’t loss her athletes to other states.
