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• Sports ministry adopts gymnast
Sports fans, yesterday, at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, criticised the government of Gombe State for allegedly failing to present a team at the ongoing Eighth National Youth Games (NYG).
The fans expressed their anger at the indoor sports hall of the stadium following the exploits of a 13-year-old gymnast, Simone Munyal Kwairanga, who was privately sponsored to the Games by her parents. Kwairanga won three gold medals for the state.
Last year, when Delta State also hosted the seventh edition of the Games, Gombe State was represented by only its athletics team, which was sponsored by the Chairman of Gombe State Athletics Association, Shuaibu Gara-Gombe.
The alleged failure of Gombe State government to release funds for the state contingent to compete in the 2023 edition forced the young Kwairanga to take her trade to Team Ogun, but she was denied a place on the podium over improper NIN registration.
This time around, the 13-year-old Kwairanga registered as the sole representative of the state, and her efforts were rewarded with three gold medals. She won gold in the Floor Exercise event, Beam and Best All Round.
However, as the young Kwairanga and her mother were celebrating the gold medals inside the Gymnastic Hall, some fans were busy venting their anger on Gombe State Governor, Mohammad Inuwa Yahaya, for his alleged insensitivity to youth sports development.
“It is obvious that the governor of Gombe State is not interested in the National Youth Games because this is the second time under his watch that the state has failed to sponsor a contingent to the National Youth Games. It is not a good story that only one athlete, who is privately sponsored is representing Gombe here in Asaba. But thank God she won three gold medals. I am sure her success story will serve as motivation for other budding athletes and their parents,” one fan, who gave his name as Mohammed, told The Guardian.
Another fan, Musa, said: “I am not happy that only one athlete represented an entire state in this competition. It is a big shame that the state government could not sponsor a contingent to a National Youth Games that is meant to prepare the youths to become leaders of tomorrow.”
Gombe State Director of Sports, Zainab Adamu, told journalists at the venue that the state had planned to feature over 100 athletes at Asaba 2024 National Youth Games, but was hindered by circumstances she couldn’t explain.
“I feel glad that Munyal Kwairanga did us proud,” Adamu said. “We planned to bring about 116 athletes to Asaba, but we could not due to issues I can’t even explain. We did all that we could, but it didn’t happen, and I think it’s because Governor Muhammad Yahaya wasn’t around too at about the time we were preparing to leave.”
She revealed that other states attempted to poach the young gymnast like Ogun did last year, until the intervention of her parents and the state’s Deputy Governor, Manassah Jatau, who responded in the absence of the governor.
The Guardian learnt, yesterday, that officials of the Federal Ministry of Sports have penciled down the name of the teenager to be forwarded to the Sports
Minister, Sen. John Enoh to be included in his list of promising athletes to be groomed for the future.
It was further learnt that the young Kwairanga and her mother departed Asaba, yesterday for Abuja en route to Gombe State. The closing ceremony of the Eighth National Youth Games will be held tomorrow.