Special Assistant to the Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde, Honourable Oluwatobi Oyewumi has identified special talents in the just concluded GSM Tennis Championship in Ibadan and assured that special talents discovered at the competition would be groomed for podium recognition while coaches would go on refreshers course to nurture the athletes to stardom.
The organizer of the three days event who doubles as the Special Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Youth and Sports Development, Honourable Oyewumi disclosed this while speaking with newsmen shortly after the final match of the men single of the Governor Seyi Makinde (GSM Tennis Championship )decided at Recreation Club, Ibadan
He said: “We have identified some special talents in this competition and as government, we will do our utmost best to give them regular competitions and keep them for podium recognition” The Young sports administrator assured.
Oyewumi hinted that the bedrock of every successful athlete is to have a sound coach and if everything works the way it should, coaches may also be sent on refreshers courses to groom the athletes
“I really don’t want to make a promise here but the secret of an athlete metamorphosis into a global stage recognition is strictly to have an in-depth Coach to nurture them, so we may also send some of our coaches on refreshers courses to impact greatly on these talents”
Member of Ibadan Recreation Club, Ismaila Adewale went the extra mile to emerge winner in the men’s singles over his counterpart from Ibadan Tennis Club, Samson Adesina in the maiden edition of Governor Seyi Makinde, GSM Tennis Championship which came to an end on Thursday in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
In a pulsating encounter that eventually resulted in to tie break, Adewale outwits Samson Adesina by two to one set, (10-7) in the energy seeping final.
In the Ladies’ singles category, the much talked about Sarah Adegoke, dispatched her counterpart Abiodun Oyegoke 6-0, 6-0 to clinch the only trophy meant for the category and went home with a sum of fifty thousand Naira cash prize.
Also in the Junior Boys category, Ganiyu Mubarak sent parking Michael Akinmusire by two straight sets in the final, as Imole Afolabi crowned the champion of the Girls’ category with two straight sets.
In the Veteran Doubles, the duo of Akin Orebiyi and Taju Kasali showcased their mettle in the final to go home with the star prize.
The maiden edition of the GSM Tennis Championship started on Tuesday 22nd December and ended Thursday 24th December 2020 have a total number of one hundred and twelve participants(112) with all the players at the Pro category who went home with cash prizes.
