NAN-S-1
Inclusion
By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
Lagos, Feb. 24, 2018 (NAN) Brig.-Gen. Ola Ayeni, Vice-President, Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF) has recommended inclusion in the forthcoming Commonwealth Games training tour, the eight boxers, who served as sparring partners.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 16 boxers competed in the NBF-organised final trials held at the National Stadium, Lagos, where eight were selected for the Games.
Ayeni suggested the inclusion of the sparring partners in the delegation for the tour.
The vice-president spoke in an interview with NAN on Saturday in Lagos.
He said that the inclusion would help to further expose and encourage the boxers as well as develop their skills.
The official said that he was thrilled by the boxers’ enthusiasm in representing and winning medals for the country in their weight categories at the Games.
“The sport has been living up to its responsibilities in the general preparations for the Commonwealth Games, but there is the need to extend the training tour to the sparring partners.
“I monitored the programmes and responses of the last 16 boxers in the final trials; it is encouraging.
“I am appealing to the ministry to consider the sparring partners in the training tour for the Games because it will add value to their career.
“Exposure boosts the development of athletes in general, which comes up during major games such as this,” he said.
Meanwhile, a member of the board, Sunday Ogbu, has expressed confidence that the selected boxers would perform well at the Commonwealth Games.
He is optimistic that the women would win medals for Nigeria at the event in view of their record in the African Youth Championships in Cameroon in 2016.
Ogbu, NBF’s South-East Zone representative, said that the boxers had proved their mettle and were ready to improve on their past feats at the Games.
“The boxers are committed to this Commonwealth Games. They will do well, but I have stronger confidence in our women because of their record in Cameroon, where they won two gold and one silver medals.
“We are doing everything to support them and make their build-up stronger, so that they will be technically fit to withstand and surpass their opponents in Australia,” he said.
NAN reports that four male and four female boxers will represent Nigeria at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Queensland, Australia, from April 5 to April 24.
The Commonwealth Games will feature 275 events in 18 sports with 70 countries participating. (NAN)
MIL/FLP/IGO
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Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Ijeoma Popoola