Kwara contingents to the 8th National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State, comprising 144 athletes, 25 coaches and 61 officials are expected to depart Ilorin tomorrow, Monday September 9th, 2024, for the Games.

The athletes will compete in 24 sports events, which are athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, chess, cricket, cycling, darts, deaf athletics, fives, golf, judo, karate, para-athletics, para-table tennis and rugby.

Others are scrabble, squash, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting and taekwondo.

The National Youth Games has been scheduled to hold between September 9th to September 19th, 2024, in Asaba, Delta State.

Briefing newsmen on Saturday in Ilorin, the Executive Chairman of the State Sports Commission, Mallam Bolakale Adisa Magaji said that the athletes and the events to be competed for were carefully selected after a closed and open camping.

Recalling that the state came 5th in the last edition, Mallam Magaji said that the Games will not be for jamboree, as he pledged that the athletes will make.the state proud in Asaba.

“I want to thank His Excellency, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his support in ensuring that the state sustains its representation in the Games. I equally want to commend the Kwara State House of Assembly, especially the House Committee on Sports, for their support.

“And for the athletes, they should see this as an honour to represent their state, and therefore, I am urging them to be good ambassadors of the state before, during and after the Games.

“As a way of motivating the athletes, on my own, I am pledged a reward of instant N10, 000 for gold medalists in Asaba, and N7, 000 and N5, 000 respectively, to silver and bronze medalists.

Meanwhile, the Chairman House Committee on Sports, Hon. Rukayat Shittu has charged the athletes to justify the commitment of the state in sports development, by winning laurels at the National Youth Games.

While delivering the message of the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi yesterday at the Stadium, Hon. Shittu wished the team successful outing, tasking them to surpass previous records in the Games.

The Team Captain, Emmanuel Enoch and Coach Kehinde Aiyelabegan, who spoke on behalf of the coaches commended Governor AbdulRazaq, State House of Assembly and the Commission, for providing the opportunity, promising that it will not be misused.