31st January, 2011
University of Lagos, UNILAG, has continued their preparations ahead of the NUGA Games Preliminary Zone F.
The NUGA Games qualifiers will begin from 6 to 9 February, at the University of Agriculure, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Among the institutions grouped in Zone F are University of Lagos, UNILAG, University of Ibadan UI, Lagos State University, LASU, Olabisi Onabanjo University, OSU, Redeemer University, Tai Solarin University of Education, Leed University, Bells University and the host, University of Agriculture.
The first and second positions in all track events will automatically qualify for the NUGAÂ Games proper which hold in the University of Benin later in the year.
Coach of Unilag Athletic team, Mrs Nutayi Kunmi, told P.M. Sports that Unilag has a better chance to qualify in the track events and charged the athletes to remain focused throughout their training.
“We have a better chance to qualify in all the track events, but we are not going to take part in shot put and other sports we feel that we cannot produce good athletes,†she said.
On her assessment of the atheletes, Kunmi said she is quite impressed with the seriousness of the athletes since the training started. She is confident that Unilag will be among the top three universities that will win overall medals in the NUGA Games. “Our aim is to do well not only at the preliminary stage, but also in NUGA Games in Benin,†she said
The NUGA Games is a biennial game involving Nigerian universities. The first edition of the games took place in 1966 at the University of Ibadan (UI); two years after, two trophies were donated for competitive sports among West African universities by businessman, Samuel Manuwa.
Organisers say this year’s edition of the games will be marked differently from previous ones. As proof of their intentions, they have signed on new media and publicity and marketing consultants to repackage the event.
—Sunday Akintoye
