By Olanrewaju Akojede
Lagos – The Chairman, Lagos State Aquatic Association (LSAA), Rev. Samuel Jasimiel, has said that Nigeria was eager to host the annual CANA Zone 2 swimming competition for West and Central African countries.
Jesimiel made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.
NAN reports that the 2016 CANA Zone 2 Swimming competition held in Dakar, Senegal, where Nigeria emerged second on the overall medals table.
Jasimiel said that the country would be willing to put up a good hosting of the biggest swimming competition for the CANA zones in Africa.
“We are eager to host this tournament, it’s been a while that we hosted such an event, so for this competition, we are working conscientiously to make it materialise.
“The CANA Zone 2 competition is about the biggest regional competition in Africa and swimmers from this zone are eager to come to Nigeria.
“The swimmers want to feel the taste of what Nigeria can produce in terms of hosting having witnessed our prowess in swimming.
“We have sent our request to the Federal Government on the hosting rights and we hope that our request will be granted,’’ he said.
Jasimiel said that Nigeria had what it takes to put up a good hosting, adding that swimming pools in Nigeria were considered as one of the best in Africa.
“Nigeria has standard facilities to host the competition; we have one of the best Olympic size swimming pools in Africa at the National Stadium, Lagos.
“We hope that the competition will be used to open the rehabilitated Olympic size swimming pool at the National Stadium, Lagos which will also be a good one for the country.
“Another strong point in hosting is that the president of the CANA Zone 2 is from Nigeria and that is Fatai Babatunde-Williams, so he is enthusiastic that the competition is coming home.
“We are looking forward to sponsors and by the grace of God we should get them before the commencement of the competition in March or April,’’ he said.