Ekiti on Wednesday at Ado-Ekiti rewarded its medalists at the 7th National Youth Games “Asaba 2023’’ with cash prizes.
Each gold medallist got N100,000; silver medallist got N75,000 while bronze medallists and coaches got N50,000 each.
One of the medalists, Mustapha Abdularahman, a Senior Secondary School (III) student, who won gold, silver and bronze medals in golf got cash prizes for each of the categories.
Another medallist, Aina Goodnews, who won silver and bronze medals in tennis, also got cash prizes for the two categories.
Fifteen baseball players who won silver medals during the competition got N50,000 each.
Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Mr Gold Adebayo, represented Gov. Biodun Oyebanji at the ceremony.
He said the gesture was a fulfilment of the governor’s promise that he would reward the athletes and their coaches.
He assured that government was committed to the growth of youths, adding that it would give priority to sports and youth development.
Speaking on behalf of the athletes and coaches, the state’s Handball head coach, Kayode Ayo-Idowu described Gov. Oyebanji’s administration as the first to set standards in sports development in Ekiti.
He assured that coaches and athletes would double their efforts to make the state proud in future sporting events.
Ayo-Idowu opined that the gesture would attract Ekiti athletes who had been representing other states to return home to represent the state.
Mrs Mary Omotosho, Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Community Communication, presented cash prizes of N25,000 each to athletes who participated in the competition but did not win medals.
The multi-sports National Youth Games is designed for athletes under the age of 15 years.
While the 2023 edition was on-going, Gov. Oyebanji had to recall the state’s sports council boss, Mr Adekunle Adeyemi from Asaba to account for the shabby dressing of the young athletes.
Ekiti was in the news then for the shabby dressing of its athletes at the opening ceremony of the games.
The athletes’ appearance made the Ekiti State House of Assembly to summon officials in charge of sports in the state to appear before its Committee on Youth and Sports on Sept. 26.
The maiden edition of the National Youth Games was held in 2013 at the main bowl of the National Stadium, Abuja.