The 18th National Sports Festival has started officially on Tuesday 28th of November, 2012 in Lagos Surulere National Stadium tagged, “Eko 2012”. Rivers State the defending champions is also part of the 36 participating teams.
Rivers State hosted the rest of the states at last year’s 17th National Sports Festival tagged “Garden City Games” in Port Harcourt, and claimed the over all first position in all the events. Not only did Rivers State win the first position, but went on to set a new record of gathering the total gold medals to the envy of other states.
With the 18th National Sports Festival already started, Rivers State needs to prove a point by maintaining her first position, she won here in Port Harcourt when the “Garden City Games” lasted.
Information available to the Newswriter Sports Desk indicates that most of the athletes that competed for Team Rivers are now featuring for other states who may foot their bills better. If that be the case, the best hands that gave Rivers her gold medal or first position may have depleted the Rivers Team plan of defending the first position she won in Port Harcourt, when Rivers State hosted the national games of unity.
Though the Rivers Team local Organizing Committee chairman, Sports Commissioner and Director of Sports Council are all talking tough that team Rivers is anticipating at Eko 2012 to win. To this effect, Team Rivers has set a target of 160 gold medals at “Eko 2012”. The sports loving people of Nigeria and the entire sports family is watching for only time to tell the truth about all the boasting.
Before Team Rivers departed for Lagos, the state governor and the chairman of the Team Rivers LOC have said that the athletes are being motivated to make Rivers people proud. Their salaries were all paid up to December as a way of igniting the athletes to action.
Yes, the Governor has done well by motivating the athletes, but what of the athletes that won for the state her medals, where are they, and why did they leave for other states? These are questions begging for answers and only time will tell.###
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