Athletes and officials from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, have been selected as part of the Nigerian contingent to the 29th World University Games holding in Taipei, Taiwan, between August 19 and 30, 2017.
The WUGs has the theme, “University Sports: Globalising and Universalising Participation”.
According to the Nigerian Universities Games Association, the decision was taken because of the FUNAAB’s contributions to the development of sports in Nigeria.
The athletes and officials are: Miss. Naomi Oyinloye, a postgraduate student in the Department of Zoology, College of Biological Sciences for Female Badminton; Miss. Folashade Adedotun of the Department of Chemistry, College of Physical Sciences for Female Table Tennis; while Dr. Sam Olabanji, Acting Director, Directorate of Sports, is to lead the team from the university.
The university’s contingent to the recently held 25th NUGA had excelled in the competition that took place at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State, by winning 1 Gold, 4 Silver and 8 Bronze medals.
For NUGA, the university had over 70 athletes that took part in eight different sports such as Squash, Badminton, Chess, Table Tennis, Tennis, Taekwondo, Athletics and Hockey.
The Squash female team won the Gold for the university by defeating the defending champion, University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), in the finals by two straight sets.
Prior to the games, the Squash female team of the university recently performed outstandingly during the Squash tournament to commemorate the 80th Birthday celebrations of the nation’s former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
Other sports that produced medals for the university included Badminton, Chess, Table Tennis, Taekwondo and Tennis.
The University of Port Harcourt came first at this year’s event followed by Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Reacting to the university’s results at the games, the Acting Director, Directorate of Sports, Dr. Sam Olabanji, stated that this year’s results were better than the previous one held at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, in 2014.
According to him, the athletes were improving and it was a reflection of hard work and a sign of commitment on the part of the coaching crew.
Olabanji, who has been selected as an official for WUG, suggested that for optimum performance by the coaching crew and the athletes in subsequent games, there was the need for the university management to grant discretionary admission to some identified and talented athletes, especially those possessing the basic requirements.
He noted that the directorate required more sporting facilities and equipment to perform very well in future competitions.
He added that the university’s performance at other tournaments could also be enhanced when scholarship awards were given to the Gold medalists in addition to other incentives like financial reward and befitting reception.
Olabanji added that letters of commendation could equally be issued to all the members of staff who played one role or the other towards the success of the games.
The acting director of sports noted that the directorate needed more coaches as technical staff to support the present staff on ground and a bus for conveying athletes to major events.
