Cross River State
Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, has congratulated IAAF World
Championships double medallist, Blessing Okagbare, and the rest of the
Nigeria team for delivering on their promise of ending Nigeria’s medal
drought at the competition.
The Nigerian track and field team had promised to win medals at the World Championships in Moscow, Russia at a dinner to round off the All-Nigeria Athletics Championships in Calabar in June.
At the dinner, Okagbare, who spoke on behalf of her colleagues, thanked the governor for his huge support for athletics and promised to put an end to their fruitless journey to the championships.
“I am particularly delighted that the athletes have fulfilled their promise to me. I want to congratulate Okagbare for winning silver and a bronze medal. I also want to congratulate the team for the high level of discipline exhibited at the championships,” Imoke said.
The governor is also delighted that the state has continued to provide the ‘lucky charm’ for Nigeria’s national teams.
“We are happy we have been providing the platform for our national teams to excel and have turned Calabar into the sports capital of Nigeria. We have also embarked on a youth and sports development programme that is unprecedented in Nigeria. And the results have started coming in,” Imoke added.
Nigeria last mounted the podium 14 years ago in Seville, Spain before Okagbare’s successes in the long jump and 200m events respectively last week in Moscow.
The Nigerian track and field team had promised to win medals at the World Championships in Moscow, Russia at a dinner to round off the All-Nigeria Athletics Championships in Calabar in June.
At the dinner, Okagbare, who spoke on behalf of her colleagues, thanked the governor for his huge support for athletics and promised to put an end to their fruitless journey to the championships.
“I am particularly delighted that the athletes have fulfilled their promise to me. I want to congratulate Okagbare for winning silver and a bronze medal. I also want to congratulate the team for the high level of discipline exhibited at the championships,” Imoke said.
The governor is also delighted that the state has continued to provide the ‘lucky charm’ for Nigeria’s national teams.
“We are happy we have been providing the platform for our national teams to excel and have turned Calabar into the sports capital of Nigeria. We have also embarked on a youth and sports development programme that is unprecedented in Nigeria. And the results have started coming in,” Imoke added.
Nigeria last mounted the podium 14 years ago in Seville, Spain before Okagbare’s successes in the long jump and 200m events respectively last week in Moscow.
