8th March, 2013
Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos will be agog tomorrow as the maiden Premier Lotto Lagos Athletics Championship come to a close.
At least 288 finalists that emerged from Heats conducted in the six education districts in the state will storm the Teslim Balogun Stadium to fight for honours in various events in the grand finale of the grassroots athletics tournament sponsored by Premier Lotto Limited in collaboration with Lagos State Ministry of Sports, with technical support from the state’s athletics association.
Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s finale, the duo of Olamide Oluwaseun and Maria Diamond who qualified for the grand finale during District Two qualifiers last week, are optimistic that their district would be a team to beat.
Oluwaseun, who secured her place in the finals after winning the girls’ 1,500m, said she is sure that her efforts would be crowned tomorrow.
For Diamond, a triple medalist at the last Lagos State Sports Festival tagged Ibile Games, she is ready to confront any opposition in the finale.
“I am familiar with competing at big stage and I know Saturday will not be an exception. I am ready to be the best in 400m, 800m and 4×400 relay events. My district is also a team to beat. We are fully ready,” Diamond boasted.
For Lagos State Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development, Wahid Oshodi, the finale will be excited judging from the performance of the students during the district qualifiers.
“I’m excited with the performance of the athletes because the talents we have witnessed in the district qualifiers have wet everyone’s appetite. The standard is high and the stage is set for the athletes to express themselves and show the world what they can do. I want to assure that talent discovered from this competition will be groomed and put into the state’s coaching programme,” Oshodi said.