President of Paralympic Committee Nigeria (PCN),Sunday Odebode , believes Team Nigeria contingent to the forthcoming 2024 Paralympics in Paris would surpass its achievement at the last delayed Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
Team Nigeria will participate in four sports including para-badminton, para-athletics, para-table tennis and para-powerlifting at the forthcoming event holding in Paris between August 28 and September 8.
Speaking shortly before the Team Nigeria contingent’s departure to their pre-games training camp in Germany through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Odebode called for support and prayers from all Nigerians for the 24 athletes that would fly the country’s flag in Paris.
“i will not promise certain number of medals because anything can happen in sport but all that i know is that with the level of our preparation and the determination of our athletes, Nigeria shall excel at the Paralympic Games,” Odebode said. “The athletes have been in camp for almost three months with serous training and now they were embarking on foreign training tour which will further boost their morale and knowledge, so with this i hope n believe shall come back home with medals”.
He continued: ” I will use this medium to call for support and prayers from all Nigerians for us to excel. “We need this because there is nothing that does not need prayers .We are carrying the burden of all Nigerians and as such, we need their support and prayers.
Onye Lauritta, a shot put thrower expressed optimism that the Team Nigeria will bring smiles to the faces of all Nigerians going by their preparation but refrained from predicting the number of medals to be expected.
“It is not an easy task to be at the Olympics and win medals(gold)but we all are aspiring to make the country proud and no matter the colour, medal is medal, and we are bringing medals home, “she said confidently.
