ABEOKUTA (SUNDIATA POST)- Ubong Essien, the coach of the Akwa Ibom Tennis Team, says his team’s target is to make it to the medals table at the ongoing 22nd National Sports Festival tagged ‘Gateway Games.
Essien, who stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abeokuta, said that the team underwent rigorous training and preparations for the competition and was determined to be on the medals table.
“We did a lot of preparations.’ We came here hoping to win some medals and also to develop our young and vibrant players for the future.
“Our target is to make it to the medal table. If we make it to the medal table, we’re hopeful to reach the finals, especially in the female category,”he said.
Essien said that the state government has been very supportive of the team by providing the necessary financial support, which has gone a long way to help the team in its quest for podium performance.
The coach who expressed concerns about the distance between the athletes’ accommodation and the venues of events said that the athletes had to wake up early to beat traffic on the busy road .
On the limited number of tennis courts , he said that it has impacted the number of games to be played at the festival.
“Only four courts are available, but ideally, there should be at least eight because we have many events: the boys’ singles, girls’ singles, mixed doubles, and team events.
“Because of this limitation, the organisers have resorted to playing short sets, which is not the standard.
“Normally, a full set is six games, but now we’re playing four games per set in the first round. Hopefully, during the semifinals, they will return to full sets. The decision to play short sets was made to help keep up with them,” he said.
He commended the Ogun government for the organisation of the festival so far. He said Nigeria as a country has a lot to do to be reckoned with in the sport.
Essien said that to achieve excellence in the sport, a lot of sacrifices and efforts are needed.
“I’d say we’re not doing enough yet. We’re trying, but we haven’t gotten to the level we should be.
“Tennis requires a lot of sacrifice. If you’re expecting immediate results, that’s where we fall short. Tennis development is a long-termt, he said.
The NSF is a biennial multi-sport event organised by the Federal Government.
It brings together athletes from all 36 states and the FCT to compete in various sports, promoting national unity, sportsmanship, and excellence across Nigeria. (NAN)