With less than 48 hours to the commencement of the 21st edition of the National Sports Festival, a 277-member contingent of Team Nasarawa on Tuesday left Lafia for Asaba.
The contingent comprised 181 athletes, 33 coaches, eight referees, 27 sports secretaries, 20 accompanying officials, two medical personnel and six security personnel.
Team Nasarawa will participate in 27 sporting events, including athletics, basketball (male and female), karate, kung-Fu, taekwondo, hockey, weightlifting, judo, darts, chess, boxing, wrestling, tennis, table tennis, golf, ayo, kokowa, dambe, volleyball (male and female), scrabble, para-athletics, cycling, para-table tennis, and para-weightlifting.
Leader of the delegation and Permanent Secretary of the Nasarawa State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Isah Mohammed Eyah, speaking during a farewell message to the contingent, said he was optimistic that the athletes would do the state proud at the multi-sport fiesta.
He noted that Governor Abdullahi Sule made timely, necessary and adequate provisions for the state’s contingent to excel at the event.
Each further stated that Team Nasarawa are geared towards surpassing their previous medals records at the highest national sports meet.
Nasarawa State is presenting the highest number of contingent ever at the competition.
At the last edition of the National Sports Festival held in Benin City, Edo State, in 2021, Team Nasarawa won a total of 22 medals, comprising five gold, four silver and 13 bronze medals, respectively.
Hosts, Delta State, won the last edition.
The Opening Ceremony for the 21st biennial National Sports Festival will hold on Wednesday, 30th November 2022, at the prestigious Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, amidst thousands of athletes, coaches and other accompanying officials from across Nigeria and about four selected West African countries, while the closing ceremony is billed for Saturday, 10th December 2022, at the same venue.
