The Ministry of Youths and Sports Development and the Bayelsa State Sports Council on Saturday joined the rest of the world to celebrate the 2023 Olympic Day.
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The Olympic Day celebration is an event set aside to celebrate the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect through four pillars that guide the organization of Olympic Day activities, move, learn, discover, and together for a better world.
Amidst excitement by the participants to commemorate the important day the 2023 Olympic Day Run, the 10 kilometers race took off from the Opolo market junction and terminated at the Samson Siasia Stadium.
In a remark, Bayelsa State deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo represented by the former chairman House Committee on Sports, Hon. Tare Porri the member representing Ekeremor constituency two in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, noted that sports has become part of State that he was pleased with the turnout.
While highlighting the importance of sports in society, the deputy governor described sports as a unifier, stating that the Olympic Day Run has become an essential event that brings people together to celebrate the values of Olympism and promote physical well-being.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo lauded the ministry and the sports council for joining the rest of the world to celebrate the day, stressing that it promotes values and goals set by the International Olympic Committee.
President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Engr. Habu Gumel represented by Mr Abdulmalik Ibrahim, called on stakeholders in the country to embrace and promote peace through sports.
Engr Gumel explained that the founder of the day Pierre de Coubertin saw it as a way to promote peace among nations and people, saying that the Olympic spirit guides sports people to strive faster, aim higher, and become stronger, by standing together for a peaceful world.
He noted that the Olympic Day run was a perfect opportunity to keep the mind, and bodies of sportsmen and women stronger and healthy as the 2023 theme implies “Let’s Move” to make the world a better place through sports.
Also, commissioner for Youths and Sports Development Chief Daniel Igali, represented by the Director of Sports Bayelsa State Sports Council, Sir Braveman Wodi, said that the core values of the Olympic movement were to promote peace, friendship through sports,
He expressed the need for everyone to underscore the importance of carrying out a 30-minute fitness activity on the day, pointing out that he was happy about the turnout and dedication from the participants.
Sir Wodi thanked Governor Senator Douye Diri and his deputy senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo for impacting the lives of youths through sports, adding that the continuous engagement of the minds of youths has given hope to youths in the State.
“This is the beauty of sports. It inspires the world to move and it brings us all together as friends, community, no matter where we are from, and how we choose to move”
He lauded all the participants who came out in their numbers to celebrate the Olympic Day, describing it as impressive, maintaining that Bayelsa State could not have been left out of the celebration.
The high point of the event was a demonstration of different sports and the presentation of certificates to participants.
