Dare charges athletes to set sights on medals in Tokyo 2020

The Minister of Youth and sports Development, Sunday Dare, has heaped praises on young Nigerian athletes who created new personal records at the Evaluation programme of the Atheletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), which took place at the Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State last weekend.

While commending the impressive performances of the athletes, he assured Nigerians that the much postponed National Sports Festival will hold in Edo State in April, 2021.

The Minister assured that discussions, negotiations and preparations are ongoing to ensure that the Sports Festival takes place.

He charged the young athletes who excelled at the event to do their best to surpass the feats of renowned athletes like Chioma Ajunwa, Falilat Ogunkoya, Mary Onyali among others by also winning medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“It is my greatest desire that the Sports Festival holds this year in the interest of Nigeria sports development. It is going to be a great factor that will determine our performance at the Olympic games in July.

“We seek the cooperation of the presidential task force on Covid-19, the Edo State government, the Health Ministry and the NCDC in making this dream a reality.

“We hope and pray that nothing will shift the festival from April as planned. The performance of the young athletes gives me great hope of a bright future. We will support them to sustain the tempo so that they can reach their peak at the Olympics and win medals for our country”, the Minister assured.