Mandela, Johannesburg win Pace Setters Sports Festival

@shagcy Nelson Mandela and Johannesburg House on Saturday evening emerged winners of the 2017 Pace Setters Sports Festival.

The annual sports fiesta, which also had invited private primary and secondary schools from Abuja, featured long jump, high jump, short distance races and relays by students, teachers and parents.

Nelson Mandela House garnered 7 gold, 6 silver and 3 bronze medals to emerge the overall winners in the secondary school category, Imansuangbon House was second with 6 gold, 6 silver and 10 bronze medals, Kofi Anan House came third with 6 gold, 2 silver and 8 bronzes while Hilary Clinton House placed fourth with 4 gold, 9 silver and 2 bronze medals.

In the primary school category, Johannesburg House emerged top with 7 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze medals; Abuja House was second with 3 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronzes; Washington was third on the standings with 2 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronzes while Imansuangbon came fourth with 2 gold, 3 silver and 5 bronze medals.

Proprietor and Chairman of Pace Setters Group of Schools, Barrister Kenneth Imansuangbon said the annual event is designed to help the country discover talents that would be nurtured for use at international sports competitions.

“For us to make a mark on the international sports stage, we must return to the field to discover talents and train them for international competitions like the All Africa Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games.

“There is need for us to bring back inter-house sports competitions in our schools. In setting up schools, sporting facilities must be paramount. When an inspector goes to a school, he/she must ask when and where do you do your sporting activities.

“So, we need to go back to the foundation, the basics by organising sporting activities in our schools,” Imansuangbon said.