The Imo State Commissioner for Sports, Honourable Obinna Onyeocha, has assured people of the Eastern Heartland that the state representatives at the ongoing Ogun 2024 National Sports Festival would gladden their hearts with medals.
Onyeocha in Abeokuta, Ogun State, thumbed the resilient of Team Imo in various disciplines they are participating in stating that the early signs so far give hope of a promising finish at the Gateway Games.
Despite late approval of funds from the State Government Team Imo strove to get themselves prepared for the National Sports Festival.
Onyeocha blamed bureaucracy for the little hiccups to the funds delay and nonetheless thanked the Imo Governor, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma for the love he showed toward the athletes and the eventual provision of funds.
He said Team Imo has excelled in preliminary round of mostly team events with the team winning games in Hockey, basketball, football and even boxing events adding that Team Imo is set to surprise all at the Gateway Games.
“This is just the preliminary stage, and I think we are doing wonderfully well,” Onyeocha told Team Imo Media.
“Looking at the various sports we are participating in – in football, we won; we won in basketball against the host state, hockey won, and also boxing too. So far, so good. I’m very sure we will achieve a lot of medals.”
The Commissioner specifically hailed the efforts of Governor Hope Uzodimma, describing him as a sports-loving leader who has provided the team with the necessary support to excel at the national event.
“The motivation behind this outing for me is the Imo State Governor. So I want to thank His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, for giving us full support. I can say that the mobilization is superb,” he stated.
Onyeocha affirmed that with the administrative groundwork in place, the focus now rests on the athletes to deliver.
“Arguably, we have done our part. The rest is now in the hands of the athletes,” he said.
“My message to the people of Imo back home is that they should relax and be rest assured that we are coming home with a lot of medals. The game has just started, and we haven’t lost any match yet. I’m very optimistic we will come home with gold medals. We have won here and there, and we will continue with that pace till the end of the program,” he concluded.
Team Imo Media
