By George Aluo
Nigeria’s team to the Bahamas 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games would leave early for the competition which runs from July 19-24 in Nassau, Bahamas.
Coordinator of the Nigerian team, Dr Demola Areh told Sunday Sunsports yesterday that the early departure is to enable the athletes that have been camping in Lagos and Abuja to get used to the Bahamas weather before taking to the pitch.
“As we speak, we have concluded arrangement for early departure….hopefully the athletes would be in Bahamas on the 14th which is three days before the official opening of the Games Village. We want them to fully acclimatize before the commencement of the Games,” Areh said.
Areh who is a director in the Sports Ministry said the Nigerian contingent is battle ready for the games having been in camp for a fairly long time. He said the athletes are in high spirits, ahead of the event.
Captain of the team Miss Knowlege Omovoh had last week promised on behalf of the athletes, that they will make Nigeria proud at the Games. Omovoh spoke when sports minister, Solomon Dalung visited them in camp. The 17-year old 200m and 400m runner from Delta state thanked the Minister, whose visit she said will boost the morale of the athletes.
“I want to thank you for finding time to visit us in camp today. We are grateful to you for your motivational talk. We promise that we will put in our best to make the country proud,” she said.
Nigeria will be represented by 26 athletes taking part in 7 sports namely; swimming, athletics, beach volleyball, cycling, boxing, tennis and judo.
The 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games which is the 6th edition will feature athletes between the ages of 14-18 years from 70 nations.