By Hananeel Jackson
Bayelsa State commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Dr Daniel Igali says he is impressed with the performance of athletes at the ongoing Bayelsa State Sports Festival tagged Access Bank Prosperity Unity.
Dr Igali in an interview, said the athletes from the various local government areas in the state have shown that team Bayelsa State’s outstanding outing in the last sports festival in Asaba Delta State was not fluke.
He noted that he was happy to see young athletes within the age range 12 to 17 years participate in the showpiece that is prime and proper for coaches to groom for the future, stating that he is not concerned about the winning of medals but the commendable ages of the athletes.
The commissioner asserted that the high spirit and love that exist among the athletes participating in the Prosperity Unity Games was a pointer for peace and security in Bayelsa, noting that in the last few days sports has engaged the minds of the youths.
He described the unity and love amongst athletes as the Bayelsa every citizen envisages, saying that the essence of the fiesta is to discover talents that would represent Bayelsa and Nigeria in future.
While disclosing that sporting activities scheduled for the festival were going on simultaneously at various locations, the Olympian said with all the happenings it was obvious that new talents would be discovered.
Dr Igali, explained that there would be an improved Bayelsa State Sports Festival in the next edition with inter local government tournaments before the fiesta proper.
The event is progressing smoothly. As of Wednesday evening, Brass LGA had already taken the lead with as much as five gold, two silver, five bronze making it twelve, Kolokuma/Opokuma on second with four gold, three silver, nine bronze, Yenagoa LGA on three gold, six silver, six bronze in third placed.
While Ekeremor, Southern Ijaw and Sagbama occupied 4th, 5th 6th position as Ogbia and Nembe are placed 7th and 8th on the official medal table that has been released.
