President of the Nigeria Aquatics Federation (NAF), Chief Mrs. Chinoye Aliyu, has praised the steady growth of swimming and other aquatic sports in the country, describing the sport’s progress as remarkable at both the state and continental levels.
Speaking at the swimming events of the 9th National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State, Aliyu expressed delight at the massive turnout of athletes and participating states.
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She noted that the development reflects the dedication of the federation and state governments in promoting aquatics.
“I would rate the aquatics event very high because a lot of states participated. We at the Nigeria Aquatics Federation are getting it right. We have grown, we are doing well, and we are performing at the continental level,” she said.
Aliyu reserved special praise for Lagos State, which dominated the competition with 19 gold medals.
She commended the Lagos State Government for effectively deploying its resources to drive aquatic sports success.
The NAF president also hailed the organisers of the Games for a seamless and well-coordinated competition, applauding the use of an Olympic-size swimming pool.
“The facilities we have here are standard. This is an Olympic-size swimming pool, and we have used all the parameters of the Olympic Games to organise the event,” she stated.
Highlighting efforts to sustain coaching excellence,
Aliyu revealed that the federation has introduced a biennial coaching course, which is mandatory for all aquatics coaches in Nigeria.
She further called on the government, corporate bodies, and well-meaning individuals to support the federation’s drive to upgrade swimming facilities across the country.
“We need to step up and upgrade our swimming facilities so that we can be on the same level with the world,” she emphasized.
