Anambra state Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo has charged athletes representing the state during the 2023 National Youth Game (NYG) in Asaba, Delta State, to be ambassadors of State.
Governor Soludo in an address delivered to the Anambra contingent at their Bishop Obiefuna Retreat Centre camp, Awka, said the athletes should be excellent in their various games and exemplary in character.Soludo, represented by Mr Ernest Ezeajughi, the Chief of Staff, just before they departed for Asaba on Wednesday, urged the state athletes to respect and adhere to their coaches’ instructions while urging them to compete as champions that they were.
“Anambra is the light of the nation. Anambra is known for excellence. Be ambassadors of the State and see yourselves as touch bearers. It is important that you compete well; It is important that you win medals but importantly, you must be exemplary in character because that is what Anambra is known for,” he said.The Chairman of Anambra State Sports Development Commission, Mr. Patrick-Estate Onyedum, who thanked the governor for his support to the sports sector since the advent of his administration, said the team was made up of about 80 percent of the budding athletes discovered during the Anambra School Sports Festival, held between May and June this year.Onyedum described the team as youthful and hardworking and assured that their performance this time would surpass previous outings. He later announced his personal reward of N50,000 for any old medallist at the competition as a motivation for the team.
The Anambra team made up of 128 athletes and 45 officials, will take part in 18 sports, including Athletics, Badminton, Beach Volleyball, Chess, Cricket, Boxing, Gymnastics, Judo, Karate, Taekwondo and Table Tennis. Others are Traditional Sport (kokowa), Scrabble, Swimming, Rugby, Volleyball, Wrestling and Weightlifting.
