Sports
NIPOGA 2017: LASPOTECH Emerges Overall Winners
Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) Ikorodu has emerged the overall winners of the 19th Nigeria Polytechnic Games, tagged “Nasarawa 2017” held at the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa, Nasarawa State.
The games which was promoted by A3 Foundation, saw the participation of no fewer than 4,000 athletes from 41 polytechnics.
The Tidesports source reports that LASPOTECH won 47 medals, made up of 16 gold, 16 silver and 15 bronze.
The second position went to the Federal Polytechnic Ado-Ekiti, with 15 gold, 10 silver and 12 bronze.
Defending champions Yaba College of Technology, (YABATECH), who had won the competition 18 times, the only polytechnic to have achieved such feat, however, settled for the third position with 10 gold, 13 silver and 14 bronze.
Hosts Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa, Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zaria and The Polytechnic, Ibadan were fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.
Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zaria emerged winners of the female Basketball event, while hosts Nasarawa Polytechnic emerged winners of both the male and female football events.
Federal Polytechnic Ado-Ekiti were the overall winners in Athletics, while Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia emerged the overall best in Judo.
Also, YABATECH finished as the overall best in Scrabble.
The games which began on April 29 came to an end with the closing ceremony on Saturday attended by Gov Tanko Al-Makura and many sports dignitaries.
Vice president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC), Chief Solomon Ogba, foremost Sports Marketer and founder of Okpekpe Road Race, Mike Itemuagbor and top Sports Journalist and Media Strategist, Mitchel Obi have lent their voices in support of the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF).
The personalities with backgrounds in sports administration, marketing and media spoke separately in commendation of the festival, an initiative of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with Dunamis Icon as consultants.
“This is a positive addition to the evolving sports business ecosystem because it is not just a springboard for identifying talents, it also offers a platform to truly hone the skills of those already discovered”, remarked Obi, who served as Special Advisor to a former Sports Minister, late Anthony Ikhazabor.
He said the festival will be a flagship event in the region that would trigger interest in sports among the youths and people of the region.
Edo State-born Itemuagbor commended the NDDC for the decision to add sports in the list of their intervention projects in the region, adding that: “This speaks directly to the problem of youth restiveness which is of great concern to our people.”
Raphael Onyedika has now emerged as a major doubt for the Super Eagles’ must-win 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later this month.
The midfielder was forced out early from last week’s league game against Standard Liege.
He has not recovered from the injury and so will miss today’s league match against Gent and may also miss a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash against Aston Villa yesterday.
The Super Eagles take on Rwanda in Kigali on March 21, before they face Zimbabwe in Uyo four days later in crucial World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Al-Khalood defender, William Troost-Ekong, has shared his experience on the difficulties of winning the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) while describing it a must win trophy.
The former Watford FC defender has competed in the tournament three times but has yet to lift the trophy.
“I’ve been there three times now, bronze medal, silver medal, but I haven’t had the chance to win it. That remains my ultimate goal,” he told Tidesports source.
“It means so much to me and all the kids growing up in Africa and Nigeria.”