Boniface Onovo, the Director of Organising, Enugu State Ministry of Youths and Sports, on Thursday said the state would participate in two sports at the National Para Games in Abuja.
Onovo, while fielding questions from journalists in Enugu, said the state would go with athletes taking part in para-powerlifting and para-athletics.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Para Games is the maiden edition of the National Para Sports for People Living With Disabilities (PLWD).
“The two sports are where we have comparative advantage and we have to concentrate on them to account for medals after the competition.
“This is the first national para games in the country and it is like a tune-up for the forthcoming Sports Festival for PLWD in sports.
“It is their own special sports, as it is reserved for them. It features 15 para sports and it is scheduled to hold at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium from Saturday to April 15.
“We have been preparing since early January,” Onovo said.
The odirector said that with the calibre of athletes the state was going to the competition with, he was hopeful their team would do well.
Also, the state’s Para Athletics coach, Silver Ezeikpe, claimed that para athletes were being marginalised in the country and that there should be a regular national para games.
He said this would give PLWDs a sense of belonging.
Ezeikpe then hailed the organisers of the competition.
“Other sports have series of competitions and what they do on daily basis but our own is either the National Sports Festival or nothing,” he said.
The coach also said para athletics and para sports in general needed to be revamped in the state.
“The state’s sports administrators need to give para sports the maximum attention they deserve as the athletes are 100 per cent ready to represent the state at any competition.”
Lucy Ejike, a para powerlifter with good experience, said the state’s athletes would be going to the competition to win after adequate preparation.
“We all know that the competition is going to be tough but Enugu state is always top at para sports and by the special Grace of God, we will always maintain that status.
“Competition needs adequate preparation and courage and that is all we need as I do not believe in other people’s ability,” Ejike said.
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She said she was confident of winning laurels because sports lovers in the state were looking forward to it and the athletes were not going to disappoint them.
