The Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) on Friday said the registered young and vibrant athletes for the 2023 National Youth Games in Asaba were ready for the challenge.

The Director of Public Relations, LSCC, Mrs Titi Oshodi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview upon the arrival of the contingent in Asaba that the team was in high spirit.

“We are doing well as we have arrived Asaba for the games which will officially commence tomorrow,” she said.

NAN reports that athletes and officials of Team Lagos arrived Asaba, Delta, on Thursday ahead of the 7th National Youth Games.

The contingent is led by the management staff of the Lagos State Sports Commission and lodged at Dennis Osadebe University.

4,500 athletes from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, are expected to participate in the youth’s sports fiesta, which features no fewer than 35 sports.

Screening, accreditation and technical meetings continue today, while the opening ceremony will hold on Saturday at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba.

Oshodi said Lagos State would be represented by 299 athletes and compete in 33 individual and team sports events.

The National Youth Games is for athletes who are 15 years and below.

“We are with the hope of improving on the team’s second placed finish at the last edition,” she said.

The Director-General, LSSC, Oluwatoyin Gafaar, charged athletes and officials to reflect excellence during the 7th National Youth Games.

He also urged the athletes to give their best while assuring that the state government would continue to support talents to reach the pinnacle of their careers.

“We have advised our athletes to please stay away from drugs, and also coaches should put in more efforts to ensure that Lagos surpasses previous achievements at the games.

“Lagos State will compete fairly with eligible athletes and consolidate on the progress made by the state through various grassroots development programmes and talent discovery initiatives.

“Our athletes are within the stipulated age and so we expect that Lagos will do well at the Games,” he said.

NAN reports that Team Lagos finished second behind Team Delta with 72 medals at the last edition of the games held in 2021 in Ilorin, Kwara.

The 10-day fiesta will end on Sept. 30. 

Nigeria’s under-18 women handball team on Tuesday in Monastir, Tunisia defeated their hosts 28-20 in their last match of Group A at the ongoing Africa Women’s Youth Handball Championship.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian team resurged from losing their second game against Guinea to stun their hosts in their third game of the competition.

The Nigerian team led 13-9 at the end of the match’s first half, going on to win 15-11 in the second half to make the overall score 28-20.

At the end of it all, Rahima Bello of the Nigerian team was voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the match.

Speaking later, Shittu Agboola, coach of the Nigerian side, said his team was determined to win the game and this helped them.

“We needed to defeat the hosts so that we will play in the quarter-finals. That was our target.

“Now we must work hard to win the quarter-final match against Morocco. But our girls are determined and will put in all their best in the game,” he said.

 NAN reports that the Nigerian side had won their first match against Algeria 28-18, before losing their second game 20-23 to Guinea.

The competition, being the 19th Africa Women’s Youth Handball Championship, got underway on Saturday and is expected to end this Saturday.

Nigeria are in Group A with two-time champions and hosts Tunisia, Algeria and Guinea, and will now meet Morocco in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), are contesting the judgement of the disciplinary panel that cleared Nigerian track and field athlete, Tobi Amusan of doping.

Recall that Amusan was initially temporarily suspended by the AIU in July because she reportedly failed a doping test three times, but two days before the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August, the Disciplinary Tribunal ruled in Amusan’s favor.

After that, she was unable to retain her world championship in Budapest, finishing 6th in the final, which was won by Danielle Williams of Jamaica.

However, Amusan triumphed in the Diamond League on Sunday, September 17, in Eugene after putting her World Championships woes behind her with a season-best time of 12.

While it seems she is gradually returning to her best, the AIU has dragged her before the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The AIU claimed in their statement that they have submitted an appeal before the court as they attempt to fault the decision of the Disciplinary Tribunal to clear the Nigerian track and field icon in August.

The statement from the regulatory body which was issued on Monday, September 18, read, “The AIU filed an appeal last Friday (September 15, 2023) with the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the Disciplinary Tribunal’s decision, dated 17 August 2023, that Tobi Amusan did not commit an anti-doping rule violation for Whereabouts Failures.

“The AIU will make no further comment on the matter until the conclusion of the appeal”.

If Tobi Amusan is found guilty, she is likely to be suspended for more than two years and also fined heavily.