NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL
Invited Junior Athletes set early mark at Gateway Games 2024
At their first ever participation in the National Sports Festival, the 38th team, Invited Junior Athletes, code-named IJA are already making moves.
They are already setting marks as the first medal of the Gateway Games was won by an IJA athlete.
They denied the elite athletes four medals as they have won two Gold, one silver and one bronze medal within the first two days of the Games.
Amarachi Chijioke and Scholastical Tekumbur made history winning the two gold, one silver and one bronze in the 45kg women category.
Chijioke claimed two gold medals in clean and jerk with the best lift of 82kg, while Tekumbur also claimed the bronze in clean and jerk.
The National Sports Commission, NSC, has continued to receive plenty of accolades for the IJA initiative introduced to the festival as the 38th State, and the early performance of the junior athletes within the first two days of the Games is already justifying the essence of the concept.
The NSC introduced the Invited junior athletes concept so that Nigeria can start having a unique and scientific transition system between the upcoming junior athletes and the elite athletes.
Director General of the NSC, Bukola Olopade, maintained that the IJA concept was designed to tie grassroots to elite Sports by bridging the transition gap that has existed in the past.
“Ninety per cent of the kids representing IJA are champions from the youth games, and the ones that have upset the status quo by winning these medals have automatically been elevated to elite status and qualify for elite grants that will prepare them for the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Championships next year”.
” Being the first time, we are having this concept, we never expected them to win medals but just to get exposure by competing with the elite athletes, but we can see with the four medals already won that the junior athletes we brought for this Games are fancying their chances with the big boys”.
Thirty-eight junior athletes across different sports are representing the Invited Junior Athletes, IJA, at the Gateway Games.
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Quadri Aruna underlined his elite status at the 2025 ITTF World Championships with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Germany’s Benedikt Duda, securing his place in the fourth round of the Men’s Singles at the Lusail Hall in Doha, Qatar.
The Nigerian star, now the sole African contender in the Men’s Singles following the exit of Egypt’s Omar Assar in the second round on Monday, May 19, delivered a commanding performance against the left-handed German.
Despite trailing 1-2 in their previous head-to-head encounters, Aruna rose to the occasion in a match filled with fast-paced rallies and crowd-pleasing exchanges. He opened strongly, taking the first set 11-9, but Duda responded with a dominant 11-4 win in the second.
Aruna adjusted his tactics in the third set, targeting Duda’s forehand and regaining control with an 11-8 win. A controversial service fault call at 2-2 in the fourth set appeared to rattle the Nigerian, who dropped the game 11-2.
However, Aruna showcased remarkable composure and resilience in the fifth set. Trailing 3-9, he mounted a stunning comeback to level at 9-9 and eventually clinched the set 12-10. That momentum carried into the sixth, where Aruna’s confidence soared. With powerful forehand loops and precise shot placement, he closed out the match 11-9 to seal a 4-2 victory.
Even the match commentators were full of praise for Aruna’s spirited comeback and tactical brilliance, highlighting his poise under pressure and ability to turn the tide when it mattered most.
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Cyclists from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory begin the chase for gold medals on Tuesday, May 20, 2024, at the ongoing 22nd National Sports Festival, tagged 2024 Gateway Games.
Technical Director of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria, CFN, Bashir Mohammed, disclosed this during the pre-race meeting of technical officials and state coaches held at the Secretariat of the Games Local Organising Committee in Abeokuta, Monday.
“We will have 17 events to be contested for in nine days with three of them, Mixed Relay, 3km Team Pursuit for women and 4km Team Pursuit for men starting tomorrow (Tuesday), ” he said, adding that “the Mixed Relay will hold in the morning while the 3km and 4km Team Pursuits will take place in the evening”.
He, however, called on all the participating States to ensure that they pay their affiliation fees as well as licence fees for their cyclists, without which they will not be cleared to participate.
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At least six athletes have been disqualified from competing at the 22nd National Sports Festival, which is currently taking place in Ogun State.
According to a press statement by Dr Kehinde Ajayi, the Director of Press at the National Sports Commission, the action was a sequel to the commission’s anti-doping stance.
The NSC cautioned that registered athletes with antidoping issues cannot compete for scoring medals.
The NSC made it clear after a strategic joint meeting of the Main Organising Committee and the Local Organising Committee of the Games on Monday.
The commission announced that this is in line with global best practices and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code.
NSC Director General, Bukola Olopade charged all the participating states to take note of this and reiterated the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that every athlete competes very clean.
” The issue of antidoping is one important mandate of the Commission to ensure that Nigeria is devoid of drug problems at both domestic and international competitions.
” We are happy now that the National antidoping law has finally been passed by our Sports-loving President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the ripple effect of such a landmark feat must swiftly be felt in our Sports, starting with the current Sports Festival”, he stated.
The following athletes have therefore been listed to have doping issues and cannot compete for medals at the Games.
1. Marcus Okon representing Akwa Ibom state in Para Athletics
2. Ayabeke David Opeyemi representing Bayelsa state in Gymnastics
3. Kareem Shukurat representing Lagos state in kickboxing
4. Omole Dolapo Joshua, representing Bayelsa state in kickboxing
5. Ogunsemilore Cynthia, representing Bayelsa state in kickboxing
6. Animashaun Sofia representing Lagos state in Para powerlifting
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