From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Government has restated its commitment to sports development through the discovery of talents in the state.
The Commissioner for Sports Development, Dr Daniel Igali stated this at the one-day Samkay Athletics Meet in Yenagoa.
According to Igali, the state government would not relent in supporting sporting activities to ensure new talents are discovered and boost sports development in the state.
He commended the organisers of the event and charged other sporting associations to organise youth events like the Samkay Athletics Meet to discover talents for the state.
The Commissioner for Education, Dr. Gentle Emelah, whose Ministry collaborated with the Samkay club to host the event assured that his Ministry would continue to collaborate with relevant organisations to promote school sports.
The founder of Samkay Athletics Club, who doubles as Vice-Chairman of Bayelsa State Athletics Association, Dr. Kolawole Oredipe, said the 4th edition had thrown up new talents and he is very confident that the young athletes from the state would dominate the track and fields in the country soon.
Over 300 athletes from 30 schools participated in 100metres, 400metres, 800 metres, and Long Jump events.
13-year-old Ebimoboere Christopher of St. Agnes Catholic School, Yenagoa, was the revelation of the competition, winning the 100 metres girls’ race in 12:95 seconds.
Gabriel Paebi of St. Jude’s Girls Secondary School, Amarata, followed in 13:15 seconds and Jacob Martha, also of St. Jude’s Girls Secondary School, took third place in 13:27 seconds.
For the 100m Boys, the winners are, Dio Roland of Model Secondary School, Sagbama in 11:44 seconds clinching the first position, the first runner up was Kabowei Goodluck from Government Science and Technical College, Okaka in 11:56 seconds while the Third position was won by Sokari Williams of Government Science Technical College, Swali in 11:77 seconds.
Meanwhile, the state government has expressed readiness to bid for the 2028 National Sports Festival.
Igali gave the hint while visiting the site been cleared for the proposed 25,000-capacity new Bayelsa Stadium.
He disclosed that the new Stadium would be a multi-purpose stadium that would have two training pitches, a swimming pool, a diving pool, a Basketball Court, a Volleyball court Table Tennis Hall, and eight other halls for various sports.
According to him the essence of the construction of the new Stadium which is to take 24 months is to ensure Bayelsa State adequately hosts the 2028 National Sports Festival.