The Ekiti State contingent to the just concluded Basic Education School Sports (BESS) have done the state proud by winning seven medals out of the nine (9) sports participated in at the competition.
Welcoming the athletes in Ado Ekiti after their brilliant performance and award of medals, the Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Prof. Femi Akinwumi who could not hide his joy, applauded the medalists who have displayed a laudable feat at the competition.
Commenting on the team’s success, the SUBEB boss expressed confidence that the state would soon produce world champions in the various sports in which the pupils featured at the tournament.
He said the team’s impressive performance is a pointer that the athletes have very great sporting potentials that would make them excel in their choice of sports.
Prof. Akinwumi commended the team and its coaching crew, assuring the readiness of the state government to provide necessary logistics that are expected to boost their morale and in-turn enhance their performance in subsequent ties.
He described sports as a veritable tool to fight poverty, joblessness and crime in the society, adding that government will continue to support every platform for the purpose of catching the athlete young and help develop their potentials and make them stars in the non-distant future.
The team, through their patriotic zeal and display of sporting prowess, hauled in medals in various categories.
In the girls’ categories, the state won silver medals in 1×100 meters relay and table tennis and also bronze medals in 100 meters.
In the boys categories, the state won bronze medals in 1×100 meters relay, Ayo Olopon and Scrabble, while the team also won bronze medals in the 4×100 meter mixed relay.
The SUBEB boss noted that the games are not just a platform for competition but also an avenue to foster teamwork, discipline and values that are integral to the development of our future leaders.
The maiden edition of the BESS competition which lasted from the 8th-16th November, 2024 was specifically for athletes under the age of 13 and served as a forum to cultivate and showcase the sporting potential of our youngsters in the basic education sector.
Dignitaries included, representative of the Hon. Minister of State for F.C.T, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, Vice chairman of the House of Representative Committee on Basic Education and Services, Hon. Mukthar Shagaya, UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr. Hammid Bobboyi, SUBEB Chairmen, among others.