Lekan Olaseinde
Abuja
The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh has given assurance that Team Nigeria will come back from the Paris Olympics with gold medals and there’s hope that the games may go down as the best ever for the country in recent times.
Senator Enoh made this known while addressing newsmen at the MKO National Stadium, Abuja Tuesday on his perception of Nigeria’s record-breaking appearance in Accra, Ghana for the 13th edition of African Games. Nigeria recorded a first swimming medal in 33years, as well as a medal in handball in 21 years and coming second in the overall medal’s table.
Enoh said placing second overall on the final medals table at the Africa Games was a heroic feat for the Nigerian athletes, but wondered why they could not break any games’ records in the process.
The Minister went on to charge the athletes, coaches, officials and journalists to put the results in Ghana 2024 behind them and start planning towards this year’s Olympics in France.
He further stated that all hands must be on deck to ensure Nigeria’s athletes not only win gold medals in Paris, but they should also break records and enact new milestones.
“Preparations have started for the Olympic Games in Paris. The Ministerial Podium Performance Committee has been tireless; going through all the training camps we had. The report is that the sports that followed recommendations of the committee did better than those that did not. The committee is not just about the African Games but also the Olympics. We want to record gold medals at the Olympics Games.”
“We will consolidate on the sports we have strength on. The Ministry will adopt every strategy possible and funding models to assist in taking care of athletes. We will also beam light on the other sports that we don’t do well. Enoh stated
“The only time we won gold at the Olympics was in 1996. That was Atlanta. But, many years after, we’ve not won any other gold.
“That is why my determination is to see how, in this next Olympics, Nigeria records a gold medal. Towards achieving that vision, I want us to contribute to the welfare of our athletes. Let’s make our athletes happier, contribute to more happiness in our country, and bring joy among Nigerians.
“The ministry is going to concentrate on those sports that Nigeria has continued to do well in. We’ll look at those sports that have given us previous medals that we have recorded.
“We’ll also boost all other sports, because the ministry is going to adopt every strategy that is available.”
Enoh also stated that preparations have already started for the next All Africa Games in Egypt with the ministry sole intention to displace North African as the perennial winner of the game.
