LAGOS – Ben Orakpo, Chief Coach, Lagos State Badminton Association, said on Monday that only the best players would represent the state at the forthcoming 19th National Sports Festival (NSF).
He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the state would excel at the festival, promising that the list of selected players to represent it would soon be out.
“The association will ensure that the selection process is carefully handled to ensure that only the best are selected to represent the state,’’ Orakpo said.
He said that the association took advantage of the “Ibile Games’’ to discover some exceptional talents in the badminton event
[eap_ad_2] The coach told NAN that the body used its training programme to make up for the lack of competitions in the country.
“Lack of competitions and sponsorship has been a setback to the association’s programmes in recent times, but we discovered some good athletes during the inter-club championships and the Ibile Games.
“I can tell you categorically that in the NSF, we will excel because we are ready,’’ he said.
Orakpo commended the state government for paying training grants to athletes.
“I must thank the state government for paying athletes’ training grants; such a gesture would stem the incidence of poaching of athletes by other states.
“Payment of grants will also serve as motivation to the athletes,’’ he said.
The NSF is billed to hold in Calabar from Nov. 23 to Dec. 3. (NAN)
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