Commonwealth Games: Team Nigeria urged to improve on 1994 record
Sport Philanthropist and grand patron of the Lagos Inter Schools Athletes Championship, Deacon Ayo Adelusi has implored Team Nigeria to the ongoing Common Wealth Games to compete favourably and win medals that will improve the record set by the team at the 1994 Games.
Speaking to journalists in Lagos, Adelusi who is the Chairman of Phidel Group of schools, Lagos said, “In 1994 Team Nigeria won 11gold, 13 sliver and 13 bronze medals which is our best record till date. We have strong table tennis men’s team with the presence of Aruna Quadri and Segun Toriola. They should be among the medalists in the men’s team event.
“Our athletics team may not have experienced athletes but I expect them to do well in the relays and jumps especially the high jump where we won our first international gold medal through Emmanuel Ifeajuna in 1954 at Vancouver games. They should emulate the 1994 Victoria Team which consisted of Falilat Ogunkoya, Mary Onyali, Fatimal Yussuf etc”.
According to him, “We Should add to the 61 gold, 66 silver, and 85 bronze medals we have so far won since we made our debut at the 1950 games held in Auckland”.
He however added that it is regrettable that Nigeria would be represented by only four male and four female boxers in the boxing category.
“I am not happy with the decline of boxing in Nigeria. This is a sport that we dominated in the 70s and 80s through Isaac Ikhuoria, Obisia Nwankpa, Jerry Okorodudu etc. This is a sport that gave us our first Olympic medal through Nojeem Maiyegun at the 1960 Tokyo games where he won a bronze medal”, he said.
Adelusi however, expressed delight that Basketball has been included in the common wealth games. He charged the game organizer to add more games to the event.