The Imo State National sports festival contingent will from today engage their Abia counterparts for the South- East Zone two, elimination games
According to a press –Release made available to Imo Trumpeta and signed by the zonal; coordinator chief Adokiye Dans, the South East Zone two Nguru will be holding the 18th National Sports Festival Zonal elimination at Umuahia from Friday 21st to 22nd Saturday 2012.
The release also indicated that Imo last hosted the Garden City games zonal eliminations in Owerri .
Williams Memorial Secondary School Afuguri has been picked to host the football games. The female teams will play by 12noon as the male will be by 3:30pm
Attention will then switch the next day (Saturday) to the Umuahia Township Stadium indoor hall which will host games like Volleyball, Basketball, and Handball etc.
When Imo Trumpeta called on some of the Athletes and team coach for their comments, those who spoke to our reporter but anonymously were optimistic on their chances of qualifying for the game proper in Lagos.
Meanwhile, notable sports pundits have questioned the weight and style of preparations by the state especially compared to what other states like Delta, Rivers, Edo, Kaduna, and Lagos have been working to get their Athletes into a medal winning shape. It is no longer news that states like Rivers, Lagos and Delta sponsored their sports men and women to foreign training while Imo Athletes have been making do with out-dated sporting facilities with little or no funds for motivation.
However, the exploits of Lovelyn Obiji at the just concluded London 2012 Paralympics games where she won gold in power lifting amongst 5 others power lifting gold winners will act as amoral booster to have had her tutelage back here in Owerri.
The Hon. Commissioner for Youths and Sports Hon. Kenneth Emelu and the state Director of Sports Mrs. Chizotam Aretola have both remained optimistic as Emelu did promise that Imo will finish among the top medal winners at the end of the games.
Imo state has already qualified for the games, they will be competing at the Eko ’12 games such as, Abuja-male and female, as the zone is only competing for football, basketball, handball, hockey and Abula.
