Lagos Blind Sports Fiesta: Sports Commission Promotes Development Of People Living With Disabilities

The Lagos Blind Sports Fiesta was concluded on Friday at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Indoor Sports Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.

Visually impaired athletes from different parts of the State participated in the five days competition and showcased ability in disability.

The fiesta also serve as an avenue to prepare visually impaired athletes for the forthcoming 22nd National Sports Festival tagged ‘Gateway Games’ in Ogun State.

Speaking at the Closing Ceremony, Director General, Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu, who was represented by Director, Sports Development, Travih Nunayon expressed satisfaction with the performances of the visually impaired athletes.

The just concluded Lagos blind sports fiesta tagged “Hope Awaken” saw participants exhibiting their skills in four different sports namely: blind Powerlifting, blind judo, Goalball and Ayo-Olopon.

“The fiesta opened a new opportunity, a new channel to further groom and develop people who are partially impaired and bring them into sports circuit. We are still looking to have a celebration on 3rd of December which is the day set aside for people living with disability, so we are looking forward to celebrate them through sport ecosystem, bringing them together and letting them compete with one another to be able to exert their physical strength and be able to exercise and recreate with their colleagues”.

Fatodu stressed that all the facilities are available for the people living with disabilities to continue to sharpen their skills and develop in different sporting areas as technical personnel and other necessary requirements were in place to ensure that the state continue to raise the bar for blind sports.

The grand finale of the multi sports showpiece which had in attendance Directors and members of staff of the commission saw intense encounter with the visually impaired athletes.

Samuel Eze who participated in judo and Goalball, said its really been fun all through we just do it also to make sure we push all these together thank God for everything.

It’s was challenging but I feel very happy being a champion and you should expect more from me. I also appreciate the state government for organising this event for them, he said.

Participants were awarded cash prize and certificates of participation.