GOOD NEWS 120 ATHLETES STORM OKPEKPE FOR WEIGHTLIFTING CHAMPIONSHIP Not fewer than one hundred and twenty weightlifters from twenty five states are expected to participate in a weightlifting championship at Okpekpe, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State. Tagged Champion of the Champions the first Okpekpe invitational weightlifting championship would hold from 3 to 5 April this year. The organizer and a former African and commonwealth weightlifting champion, Belikisu Musa said the essence of the event was to discover more weight lifting champions for the country. Musa, while briefing sports journalists in Benin on Tuesday said the choice of Okpekpe became expedient with the fact that the community has produced notable champions in the sport for the country. She said the championship which is open to both male and female of the sport would involve all categories of weightlifting event. Musa said the Okpekpe weightlifting has the backing of the weightlifting federation of Nigeria. Musa who decried the lack of sponsorship for the sport, noted that only sponsorship can bring more laurels to the sport in Nigeria. According to her, “this is a sport that has brought many laurels to Nigeria in the past. We have not been the sport lacks sponsorship to organize event or programme that will keep our lifters in shape. “So, what I am doing is to basically use the Okpekpe championship to discover more talents for the country. “You may be wondering on the choice of Okpekpe, I am sure not many Nigerians know that as a former Africa and Commonwealth champion, I am from Okpekpe. “It is also worthy to note that aside myself, the current Africa champion is also from the community, we have a host of others from the community who are holding their own in sport. “so, we are optimistic that more talents will be discovered that the end of the three days event that will witness 120 athletes from 25 states participating. Musa was a former Africa record holder in the Super Heavy Wealth category.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Mar 2014 16:14:45 +0000
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