‘National Youth Games will produce quality athletes for Los Angeles 2028 Olympics’

With the nation still lamenting the failure of Team Nigeria to win a single medal at the just-concluded 2024 Olympics, officials of Delta State Sports Commission are looking forward to discovering young athletes that will be nurtured to competitive standard ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

The United States, which last hosted the Games in 1996, in Atlanta, where Nigeria harvested her highest number of medals, including two gold, will be hosting the event again in 2028.

To give Nigerian youths the platform to showcase their talents, and be in the athletes’ pool ahead of Los Angeles 2028, Delta State will be hosting the Eighth National Youth Games next month, at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.

The Director General of Delta State Sports Commission, Festus Owhojero, told The Guardian that the Delta 2024 National Youth Games would be unique in different ways.

“The government and people of Delta State are known for giving the best, and we want to host a National Youth Games that will be a talking point for Nigerians in many years to come. We did it before when Delta State hosted the Africa Senior Athletics Championships, in 2018, the National Sports Festival in 2022, and the National Youth Games in 2023.

“This year’s edition of the National Youth Games will give the youths the platform to put themselves in the pool of athletes to be prepared for various international competitions, including the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. By 2028, some of the athletes that will compete in this year’s NYG will be 19, 20, or 21. This is the right time to capture them, and that is what Delta 2024 NYG is all about,” Owhojero stated.

This year’s NYG will be held from September 10 to 20.

The National Youth Games started in 2013 as an idea conceived by the Federal Government to find, and develop youthful talent by allowing them to thrive in a variety of sporting disciplines.

The maiden edition in 2013 was hosted by Abuja, while the second edition in 2016 took place at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State.

Going by the agreement between Delta State and the Federal Government in 2023, Delta will also host the next two editions of the NYG in 2025 and 2026.