By Babatunde Ogunrinde
Lagos – Some wheelchair basketball players on Thursday said they were working hard toward the 5th Victor Ochei International Wheelchair Basketball Championships which would hold from Oct. 3 to Oct. 8.
For the past five years, Victor Ochei, an ex-Delta House Assembly Speaker, has solely funded the championships that have produced many stars for the country.
The competition in the last four years has been the only major event that every player/team looks forward to, and as usual, it is expected to be competitive and exciting.
The players told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that they were looking forward to the event as it excited and helped them to keep the sport alive.
Tope Ogunkoya, Captain of the defending champions in the male category, Lagos State, told NAN that the team was working hard to defend the title they won last year.
“We are doing great day by day and trying to fashion out strategies that will deliver victory; we have also had challenges with downpour but we must continue to work hard.
“The competition is going to be tough this year and we assure our fans and the state association that the championships trophy is staying in Lagos,’’ Ogunkoya said.
Kayode Keshinro of the Ogun state team said that competition had always provided them the opportunity to play in a major competition.
He said that his team was ready and would stop at nothing to win the championships.
“We are preparing well for the competition; as usual it is going to be tough as all other competitors are coming with their stars.
“We are definitely coming for the first place price because we know we have the capacity to achieve that,’’ Keshinro said.
A member of the 2013 champions from Oyo State, one Musnbau, said that his side was coming with a strong mentality to win.
“We have a strong team made up of young players that can do the work.’’
Meanwhile, Sunday Ogunbodede, a board member of the Nigeria Wheelchair Basketball Federation (NWBF), told NAN that all was set for a successful tournament.
“We are working round the clock to see that this year’s edition is well organised and has all the necessary inputs required in an international standard tournament.
“We are expecting three countries from West Africa and 15 teams from Nigeria to compete in this year’s edition,’’ Ogunbodede said.
He added that the competition would also be used to select some U-23 male and female players that would feature in the coming Africa U-23 Championship in Durban, South Africa. (NAN)