NSF: Nigeria has shooters that can qualify for the Olympics, says shooting President
President of Nigeria Shooting Federation (NSF), Navy Captain Bamidele Ayoade says that the country have shooters that can qualify for the Olympics, declaring it’s his dream to become the First President of the Federation to qualify Nigeria for her first ever Olympic Games appearance in shooting.
Nigeria has never featured at the Olympics in shooting, since the introduction of the modern Olympic movement in 1896.
Captain Ayoade who spoke to our correspondent at Ogun State Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, venue of the shooting events of the ongoing 22nd National Sports Festival, said his dream is driven by his determination to take the sport to higher level in the country.
According to him the quality of talents abound in the country which were displayed in Abeokuta, gave hope for a better days to come for the sport.
While noting that Nigerian maskmen and women have been impressive at the international meets in the recent time, Navy Captain Ayoade stressed that the present board of NSF under his leadership is working hard to ensure that Nigerian maskmen and women participate in tournaments to gain the needed experience lacking in their outings.
“The first legacy I want to leave behind is to qualify the country for it’s the first shooting Olympic, and it’s my dream, and God will bring it to pass.
“We have the talent, but lack the experience and training, which is what we will go out of Nigeria to get,” he said while naming Sokoto, Bauchi, Gombe, Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Delta as states with potentials.
“First of all, what I want to see is the participation, and the zeal to grow, so that we can have people we can now push forward for further training.
“We are receiving new equipment from International Shooting Sport Federation ( ISSF) anytime soon, and that will improve our equipment holding and capacity to train more l.
On the performance of the maskmen and women at the ongoing National Sports Festival, Captain commended them for putting up excellent performances that gives the federation hope at the international stage.
“I’m impressed with the level of competition in the festival among the athletes. They are really doing well and gives us hope of better future for Nigeria in shooting.
“The standard has been high and the facilities provided by the organisers has been encouraging as well,” he added, noting that no fewer than 120 athletes from 12 states are competing in the shooting events of the festival.
