Lagos To Hold Ibile Games 14 May

The Lagos State Multi-Sports Festival, Ibile Games will kick off at various centres across the State on Monday, 14 May, 2012.

According to the Media and Publicity Sub-Committee, headed by Deji Balogun, the festival will parade grassroots athletes in the colours of the various Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas.

The budding talents will compete for honours in Volleyball, Hockey, Basketball, Football, Table Tennis, Handball, Swimming, Athletics (Track & Field), Wrestling, Boxing and Weightlifting among others.

Schools Sports, which has now been transferred to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development, will feature during Ibile Games. On parade will be young talents from the senior secondary schools who will vie for honours in Athletics (Track & Field), Basketball, Football, Volleyball, Handball, Hockey and Swimming, while Special Schools in the State will also have their separate Competitions in Athletics, Football and Table Tennis.

He further disclosed that the choice of multiple venues is informed by the desire of the State Government to test-run existing facilities to determine their readiness to host the 18th National Sports Festival, “Eko 2012”. It is also in line with the desires of Governor Babatunde Fashola to take sporting activities as close to the people as practicable.

During the 12-day festival, the grassroots athletes will compete for places in Team Lagos to the National Sports Festival while school athletes will be nurtured, monitored and mentored within existing Sports structure of the State with a view to developing them into Star Athletes in the not too distant future through exposure to local and international competitions in their various Sports.

It will be rounded off with a colourful closing ceremony scheduled for Teslim Balogun Stadium on Saturday 26 May, 2012 where Governor Babatunde Fashola will present trophies and other mouth-watering incentives to outstanding Sports Men and Women who excel at the Games.