Some stakeholders on Wednesday in Lagos said that athletes discovered at the just-concluded 2024 Africa Military Games should be carefully integrated to mainstream sporting competitions.
They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews in Lagos that various sporting stakeholders that witnessed the event should come together to review talents discovered.
Kehinde Laniyan, Member, Nigeria Baseball and Softball Association told NAN that the bundle of talents discovered should be given proper guidance into the various sports they participated in.
He said that Nigeria is home to great talents and such events can do a lot to discover more that can compete at the international stage.
“Often, competitions of this nature get to be ignored, but this should not be so, as we are blessed with abundant stars.
“I expect at this juncture a review of the event by the stakeholders who watched the games, to pencil down names of new athletes that proved their worth.
“These newly discovered talents should be integrated to mainstream events and given the opportunity to showcase their hidden talents,” Laniyan said.
Similarly, Ifeanyi Onyekachi, a stakeholder in basketball, said that talents should be given a fair chance to compete for national honours.
He said that talents discovered should not be ignored, as the competition is huge enough to discover world beaters.
“In combat sports like boxing and wrestling, we can give the newly discovered athletes a chance to participate in organised competitions beyond the military,” Onyekachi said.
Another stakeholders in volleyball, Dare Kuti told NAN that the Africa Games had players who were already representing the country in the U-19 and U-21, in Volleyball and Handball.
He said that these players were already integrated into mainstream competitions and had over the years represented Nigeria at intercontinental competitions.
“We have young and dynamic athletes in the military that are well recognised and have been given the necessary exposure.
“The 12 athletes that represented us in wrestling already had been representing Nigeria in various competitions and are no newcomers in winning laurels,” Kuti said.
Team Nigeria topped the medals table at the 2nd Africa Military Games (AMGA) 2024, clinching a total of 234 medals as the competition ended on Nov. 30.
Team Nigeria secured 114 gold, 65 silver, and 55 bronze medals across 21 sports, according to the medal table.
Algeria came second with 96 medals, consisting of 53 gold, 22 silver and 21 bronze medals and it is billed to host the 3rd edition.
The 12 days event saw participating military teams compete for medals in the tournament that held from Nov. 18 to Nov. 30 in Abuja.
The competitions were in Football, Track and Field, Basketball, Volleyball, Swimming, Shooting, Boxing, Wrestling, Athletics, Obstacle Course Racing among others.
While AMGA Abuja 2024 tournament provided each participating country with the opportunity to win medals, it also strengthened regional and continental unity and cooperation. (NAN)
