Apart from Lagos and Delta State, all other states taking part in para-athletics events at the ongoing National Sports Festival in Asaba had to rent wheelchairs to compete.
The para-athletics track and field events took place yesterday at the Stephen Keshi Stadium with Shefeu Ojelaye (Delta) winning gold, Aina Dawodu (Lagos) won silver while Sunday Aina won bronze in the men category in the para-athletics of T57-58 class.
In the female category, Oluwakemi Ladipo (Bayelsa) defended her title as she claimed the gold medal, Chika Awereme (Delta) won second while Happiness Nnamdi (River) finished with bronze.
In an exclusive chat with our correspondent, the national coach, Wheelchair Race Para-Athletics, Aliu Adebayo, revealed that most of the states apart from Lagos and Delta have the chair race athletes need to run, adding that para-athletes were committed to the sport.
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“The athletes are always committed. They believe that is their main source of livelihood, so they go out with all their power and might to do it.
“In terms of facilities, we are trying but it is not enough. The facility is not the best of the best. They are trying because most of the facilities major runners are using are provided personally through support by a certain number of people.
“The racing chair is so expensive. How many states have it in Nigeria, very few, most of these ones that they are using is through personal sponsorship,” he said
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