By Joel Ajayi
Team Nigeria’s school sports contingents have returned home in high spirits after an impressive performance at the inaugural School Sports Games in Algeria, where they clinched a total of 25 medals to finish fourth overall.
Team Captain Miracle Ezechukwu described the experience as a life-changing moment for the athletes.
“This was an international exposure for us as athletes, and we will come back even better in the future,” she said.
“I want to thank the National Sports Commission for giving us the opportunity to represent our fatherland. It’s a rare privilege and a dream come true to fly out of the country in the green and white colours of Nigeria.
“I used to watch other athletes travel to represent Nigeria, never imagining that I would not only do the same but also captain the team. I am proud of my achievements here, having won two gold medals and one silver.”
The contingent’s success is a major boost to the National Sports Commission’s grassroots sports development drive, as all the athletes were products of the Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) initiative. They were scouted during the National Sports Festival in Ogun State earlier this year, and in Algeria, the majority of them went on to win medals for the country.
Nigeria’s triumph extended beyond the podium, as the nation also secured the hosting rights for the 2nd edition of the Games in 2027, after winning the bid from the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA).
