President Goodluck Jonathan has charged Team Nigeria preparing for the 2014 Commonwealth Games holding in Glasgow, Scotland to put in outstanding performances for best results the News Agency of Nigeriareports.
Jonathan said this when he received the Glasgow 2014 Queens’ Baton Relay from the representative of the Commonwealth Games Federation, Mr. Sharad Rao, at the Forecourt of the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday.
The Queens’ Baton relay, which will travel to 70 Commonwealth nations and territories over a period of 288 days, symbolises a curtain raiser to the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The relay was launched on October 9, 2013 by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace at a ceremony where she placed her message to the Commonwealth nations.
Jonathan said the relevant sporting authority should ensure that a compact and powerful team of athletes were sent to the Glasgow events.
He said Nigerians were expecting a better performance at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games than the outings of 1994 and 2010 where 11 gold medals were won, respectively.
“As you probably are aware, Nigeria, a committed member of the Commonwealth has participated in all but four of the Commonwealth Games since 1950 even before our independence as a nation in 1960,” the president said.
“We have won medals in all the games we have participated in. Our first gold medal was won in the high jump at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games as it was then called in Vancouver, Canada in 1954.
“Nigeria won a total of seven medals – one gold, two silver and three bronze – in Vancouver.
“Our most memorable outing was the 1994 and 2010 games in Victoria, Canada and Delhi, India, where we won eleven gold medals respectively.
“This period, you will all agree with me, has been a glorious time in our sporting activities. Nigerians are therefore expecting a much better performance in Glasgow.”
Jonathan assured that government would ensure adequate resources were made available for the training and participation of all the athletes going to the games.
He urged sportsmen and women, coaches and other officials to intensify efforts in preparation for the games.
The highlight of the event was a jogging exchange of the baton from Rao to the Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, who in turn jogged to hand over the baton to the president.
The president and his Vice, Namadi Sambo, in turn jogged down to hand over the baton to the FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed, who in turn handed it over to his Minister of State, Olajumoke Akinjide.
The Queen’s Baton relay, which is expected to travel across 19 African countries, will leave Nigeria on Tuesday. The touring ceremony will be terminated at the opening ceremony of the games in Glasgow on July 23.
No comments:
Post a Comment