Budding athletes at the Federal Government College (FEDCOL), Ijanikin, near Lagos showed their class at the school’s 45th inter-house sports competition on Saturday, with Oduduwa House coming tops.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oduduwa House beat six other houses in the school, clinching 15 gold, eight silver and nine bronze to lift the diadem.

However, Nnamdi Azikiwe House got 11 gold, eight silver and eight bronze to place second, while Moremi House won seven gold, 10 silver and seven bronze to place third.

Similarly, Macaulay House clinched five gold, nine silver and 10 bronze to come fourth while Danfodio House got four gold, five silver and six bronze to place fifth.

El-Kanemi House won four gold, three silver and three bronze to place sixth, while Jaja House won no gold but got two silver and three bronze medals to come last in the competition.

The competition, held at the school’s playground, is a yearly event to keep students fit and make them to hone their skills for future exploits in sports.

In the junior girls’ 100 metres competition, Onyinye Mbagwu, representing Macaulay House, came first in 13.88 seconds; Precious Okeke, also from Macaulay House placed second in 14.08 seconds.

Amarachi Nwadinma of Moremi House came third in 14.57 seconds, while Chizaram Njoku of El-kanmi House finished fourth in 15.10 seconds.

In the senior girls’ event, Gift Ogochukwu of Moremi House out-smarted others to clinch first position in 12.80 seconds, Olayemi Akanbi of Macaulay House came second in 12.81 seconds, while Alimat Ligali of Oduduwa House was third in 12.98 seconds.

Chikaima Nwanyanwu from Macaulay House came fourth in 13.01 seconds with Christabel Okeoma from Nnamdi Azikiwe House finishing fifth in 13.06 seconds.

In the junior boys event, Kehinde Bello from El-Kanemi House came first in 13.07 seconds while Daniel Mmakwe of Nnamdi Azikiwe House placed second in in a time of 13.07 seconds.

Yau Shuaibu from Macaulay House came third in 13.56 seconds; Victor Obilor of Moremi House was fourth in 13.75 while Anthony Okeke from Jaja House finished fifth in 14.12 seconds.

Speaking to NAN at the end of the competition, some of the participants expressed their desires to excel in sports in the near future.

Gift Ogochukwu, first prize winner in the senior girls’ event, said that she started preparing for the competition the same week the school opened for the second term.

The 13-year-old, said that going to represent the country at the Olympics was her dream, adding, “I want to be known in the world like Blessing Okagbare.”

Kehinde Bello, who elicited spectators’ admiration with his zig-zag running style, said that he planned to improve on his skills.

NAN reports that medals, certificates and trophies were given to winners at the inter-house sports, which featured different events.

Earlier, the Director/Principal of the college, Ms. Tofunmi Akamo, while speaking at the event, urged parents not to discourage children from taking to sports as careers.

She described sports as a lucrative and quick-rewarding enterprise that young persons could embrace to make the difference in their lives.

Akamo said that the competition was introduced in Unity Schools by the Federal Ministry of Education as part of efforts to foster healthy minds in healthy bodies.

“It is also a way to enhance social interaction among students who come from different social backgrounds and

it provides opportunities for relaxation, entertainment and recreation for our pupils,” she said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria