President of Paralympic Committee Nigeria (PCN),Sunday Odebode ,ย believesย Team Nigeriaย contingentย toย the forthcomingย 2024 Paralympics in Paris would surpassย its achievementย at the lastย delayed Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
Team Nigeria will participate in four sports includingย para-badminton, para-athletics, para-table tennis and para-powerlifting at the forthcomingย event holding in Parisย betweenย August 28 and September 8.
Speakingย shortlyย ย before theย Team Nigeria contingentโs departureย to theirย pre-games trainingย campย in Germanyย ย throughย the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Odebodeย called for support and prayers from all Nigerians for the 24 athletesย that would fly the countryโs flag in Paris.
โi 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,โ Odebode said. โThe athletes have been in camp for almost three months with serous training and now they were embarking onย foreign training tour which will further boost their morale and knowledge, so with this i hope n believe shall come back home with medalsโ.
He continued: โ I will use this medium to call for support and prayers from all Nigerians for us to excel. โWe need this becauseย there is nothing that does not need prayers .We are carrying the burden of all Nigerians and as such,ย 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 predictingย the number of medals to be expected.
ย โIt 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, โshe said confidently.