By Georgina Adegbie
Abuja – Osun’s Director of Youths, Sports and Special Needs, Layi Adesiyan, has assured that the state would perform better than before at the forthcoming 2020 National Sports Festival (NSF) in Edo.
Adesiyan told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja that the state, after finishing 13th at the 2018 NSF with 16 medals, would surprise many others in Benin.
He said the state’s athletes who participated in the South-West zonal elimination series in Lagos had performed well enough to show what the state was capable of.
Adesiyan urged the state’s athletes to be focused in their various events, adding that with seriousness and determination they would post better performances.
“Our athletes have done well in their events, fighting to qualify in their various sports so that they will represent the state in Edo.
“The events are volleyball and beach volleyball, handball, football and basketball,” he said.
The official added that the state’s athletes in other sports were also training for the NSF.
“We have less than two months before the festival. So, our coaches now need to intensify their training of the athletes,’’ he said.
Adesiyan urged coaches in the various sports to intensify their training, to ensure that the athletes excelled by the end of the festival.
“Teams in the various sports in the state should continue to work hard. The coaches too should step up their trainings to strengthen their teams ahead of the festival.
“There is no doubt we will improve on our performance in this year’s festival. We will be among the first five teams at the end of the event,” he assured.
Adesiyan said this was going to be possible because the state government had been giving its athletes adequate support in all their competitions in order to boost their performance.
NAN reports that the 20th edition of the NSF tagged “Edo 2020” is scheduled to hold from March 20 to April 1.
(NAN)