By; AYO OJEDOKUN, Lagos
Hosts State, Lagos have won the South/west weightlifting championship held at the Rowe Park Sports Center, Yaba, Lagos.
After an energy sapping championship that lasted for four days, the state’s athletes put up a superlative performance to emerge winners.
They where followed by Osun and Ogun States which came second and third respectively.
In his remarks at the final, Chairman of Lagos State Weightlifting Association, Kunle Komolafe said the Championship will help in galvanizing the sports
in the region.
According to him, the competition which attracted 36 male and female lifters from Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti and Oyo brought out the best in the athletes as they battled for supremacy in eight weight categories in both the snatch, clean and jerk events.
He noted that with the successful organisation of the three day event, the state is now more positioned than ever before to dictate the pace in the sports as well as go for medal haul in the forthcoming National Sports Festival to be hosted by Delta State.
“I’m particularly delighted that the athletes competed favourably throughout out the duration of the competition which is an indication that the South/west has capable lifters that can go for podium finish at international championships.
“We at Lagos State are mindful of the fact that weightlifting has many medals at sporting events and part of the reason we put up this competition is not only to further develop the sports in the geopolitical zone but to put our athletes in top shape ahead of the forthcoming National Sports Festival where we hope to dominate the game of weightlifting”, he explained.
Komolafe was particularly happy with the support the association received from the state government, the Sports Commission and their sponsors with a pledge that the board under his leadership will continue to develop the sports as well as pursue an aggressive grassroots developmental programme aimed at discovering of future talents.
Speaking at the occasion, Director General, Lagos State Sports Commission, Oluwatoyin Gafaar Boluwatan while commending the association for putting up a hitch free competition, he noted that the championship was part of Governor Babajide Sanwolu’s efforts at developing sports in the state as a way of empowering the youths and make them meaningful citizens of the country even as he posited that aim of the tournament is to evaluate the preparation of the state for the forthcoming National Sports Festival.
He promised that the state government will continue to encourage all sporting associations in the state to embark on regular tournaments as a way of talent discovery.
