NAN-S-7
Paralympics
By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
Lagos, Dec. 6, 2016 (NAN) Bose Omolayo, a 79kg Paralympics gold medallist, on Tuesday appealed to the Federal Government to appreciate the athletes who made the nation proud at the 2016 Rio’ de Janeiro Paralympic Games.
Omolayo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the athletes deserved to be significantly rewarded for achieving what the able-bodied could not do in Brazil.
She said that such appreciation was important to motivate the paralympians and upcoming athletes to represent the nation adequately in subsequent international Games.
“After representing and winning medals for our country in Brazil, we came back to the country through the Nnamdi Azikiwe international Airport, Abuja, only to be welcomed by our fans.
“We were also officially received and hosted by the government after which we spent a night in one of the big hotels in Abuja before relocating to our individual stations.
“And up till now, we have not heard or received any form of reward from the government and I don’t think our efforts should be overlooked.
“I know the country is in recession, I am begging the government for the sake of the honour we brought to the country to appreciate us.
“We are not asking for too much but an appreciation from the government will encourage us and the upcoming ones to be committed to sports development,’’ she said.
The 2015 Africa Games gold medallist said that the success of the Paralympians should be seen as a thing of joy for the sports sector in spite of their poor preparations.
“Most of us are bread winners and that is why we did our best for the country so that the government can compensate us to enable us to shoulder our responsibilities.
“The athletes went through painstaking training under the supervision of our national coach, Feyisetan Are,’’ she said.
NAN reports that Team Nigeria won eight gold, two silver and two bronze medals in powerlifting at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games held from Sept. 7 to Sept. 18. (NAN)
MIL/ENN/PDE
===========
(Edited by Edwin Nwachukwu/Peter Ejiofor)