One of the boxing coaches from Lagos State, Omotade Ishola has predicted that all four kids in their team to the 8th National Youth Games in Asaba will win gold medals on Wednesday.
Coach Ishola boasted as much during an exclusive interview with sports247.ng in the Delta State capital after the fourth competitor in the delegation from Lagos, Michael Bolarinwa defeated his opponent in the 44kg class.
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While Ishola disclosed that he is in Asaba with two boys, the former boxer added that a couple of girls representing Lagos State are also doing well at the ongoing 2024 NYG.
He attributed their surge to a new lease of life and innovations introduced to them by the director general of Lagos State Sports Council, Lekan Fatodu, who he said has been very helpful to their welfare, which he affirmed is boosting their charge for medals.
Ishola revealed, “I came here with two boys for the junior boxing competition, and they are doing fine.
“For the first time, we are seeing new things made possible by our DG in this year’s competition, and that’s what is making us happy here.
“All that we are seeing here, we did not see them before in boxing. So, we are very happy for all that we are seeing here. God will bless our new DG for making all these things possible. God will bless him for us.”
He then gave a breakdown of the categories in which the Lagos State boxers are competing and expressed hope that they would grow to become Olympic Games prospects for Nigeria in years to come, once proper development strategies are followed.
Ishola added, “We have 41kg girls, with 42kg and 44kg boys. Michael Bolarinwa in 44kg was our last boxer to compete. He will also fight in the final on Wednesday.
“We hope that they will make us proud in future, but the problem here in Nigeria is that we don’t build talents from the grassroots.
“Here we are seeing categories of 40, 41, 42 and 44. It means we should have bright prospects when we go to the Olympics to bring our nation high in future.
“That’s why we are expecting our president and the new director general to support us and the athletes. We want them to support these athletes so that they can move forward in Nigeria.”
He concluded with an emphatic statement about the chances of Lagos State garnering four gold medals from the roped square when the boxing contest resumes, after taking a break on Tuesday.
“We are expecting four gold medals from boxing for Lagos State on Wednesday, because all our boxers are fighting in the finals.
“We know that God will do it for us. He has already started it for us, and I know He will finish it for us,” Coach Ishola concluded.
