NAN-S-8
Participants
By Kemi Ajayi
Lagos, Aug. 10, 2017 (NAN) Some participants at the ongoing IPC seminar/workshop in Lagos on Thursday commended the organisers for the knowledge of para-powerlifting they have spread across Africa with the programme.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than 60 participants from 14 countries are participating in the seminar, the first of its kind in Africa and holding at the Sheraton Lagos Hotel, Ikeja.
Carlos Albino Dos-Santos, a coach from Cape Verde, told NAN that the seminar was a good start for his country that is newcomers to the sport.
“My country has yet to participate in any international para-powerlifting event, so being part of this event is a plus for me and my other two colleagues to put whatever we learn to practice back home.
“Gradually we will improve as time goes by,’’ he said.
Yonas Gebremeriam-Gebreogziabher, an Ethiopian referee, said that having the seminar in Nigeria was a good opportunity for all participants, adding that it empowered athletes and officials in the sport.
“This is a great opportunity that we are witnessing this in Africa, we hope to have more of it yearly,’’ he said.
Also, Ghanian coach, Peter Adjei, lauded the organisers for making the programme accessible to Africans.
Adjei said he would take the opportunity to learn from his Nigerian counterparts that have excelled in the sport.
“We are grateful that the seminar is holding in Africa and not in some other part of the world.
“The challenge of getting funds to attend programmes like this outside the continent is a major problem for some of us,’’ he said.
Joao Kennedy, a classifier from Guinea Bissau, told NAN that the IPC and Agitos Foundation seminar would only make more meaning for the participants if they could replicate what they learnt back home.
“This seminar is helpful for Africa to grow in Para-powerlifting and we must make it as a point of duty to educate our people back home,’’ he said.
NAN reports that the facilitators for the seminar/workshop are Algeria’s Oussouma Boudoumi, a certified IPC Classifier, Noor Syahiada-Binti of Malaysia, also a certified IPC technical official.
British Jon Amos, who is the Chairman of World Para-powerlifting body will handle the coaches and athletes session.
The seminar will end on Aug. 13. (NAN)
KOA/ERO/PDE
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(Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Peter Ejiofor)