Guardian

DELTA State is set to commence the implementation of the Sports Summit reports it held last year by staging the Awoturo Eleya Athletics competition at the newly completed Sapele Stadium. It will hold next month.

To compete in the athletics fiesta are local and international stars, including United State-based Blessing Okagbare and the likes of Ogho Oghene Egwero.

Already, a Local Organising Committee (LOC) saddled with the responsibility of staging a successful event has been inaugurated in Asaba, the state capital. It is headed by a member of Delta State Sports Commission, Gabriel Okpuna.

Speaking during the inauguration Wednesday, the chairman of the Sports Commission, Amaju Pinnick, said that the Fiesta would involve junior, intermediate and senior athletes who will compete for honours.

According to Pinnick, the senior category will be opened to all comers to add colour to the event and at the same time inspire the local athletes who will enjoy the benefit of interacting and competing with international stars.

He stated that champions of the junior events would compete in the Africa’s Athletics U-17 Championships to be hosted in Warri on behalf of Nigeria in March this year.

“Athletes for the Junior event will compete from the ward levels to local government level, adding that two finalists in each event from a local government area will represent their areas for the Senatorial final that will produce two finalists in each event from each Senatorial District,” Pinnick said.

Speaking further, Pinnick, who led Team Delta to win the recently concluded Eko 2012 National Sports Festival said. “The winners will then qualify to compete for the finals of each Senatorial Zone which will in turn produce two finalists from each event for the Awoturo Eleya Fiesta in Sapele. Six athletes will qualify from each event for the grand finale in Sapele.”

He hinted that the competition was a fall out from the Sports Summit the state organised last November in Asaba. “This is organising sports competition from the community levels. Kids will compete, juniors will compete and stars will also compete as role models to young athletes. We have gradually started the implementation of the report,” Pinnick stated.

General Coordinator of the event, former Director of Sports in Delta State, Seigha Porbeni said. “This is real grassroots sports development.“

According to the organisers, ex-Olympian, Moses Ugbesian, would be invited from his U.S.-base to coordinate Delta Central area, while another former Olympian, Sunday Uti, will take charge of Delta North Senatorial District. Gabriel Opuani and Bruce Ejirigo will manage Delta South team.

Meanwhile, Pinnick has said that Delta State has a similar plan for other sports like boxing, weightlifting and wrestling. “We are serious about sports development and this is just the beginning,” Pinnick said yesterday.