Defending champion, American University, Cairo, Egypt Sunday emerged the overall winners of the 11th Africa University Games co- hosted by University of Lagos and Lagos State University, Ojo.
They won the Games with 46 gold, 28 silver and 8 bronze medals.
Lagos State University ( LASU ) came second with 28 gold, 30 silver and 26 bronze while University of Lagos with 25 gold, 23 silver and 40 bronze came third.
Speaking at the closing ceremony held at the Sports Centre of Lagos State University ( Ojo) Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos Prof. Folasade Ogunsola expressed happiness that the weeklong championship was a huge success and that it helped the two institutions to upgrade their various sports facilities.
She was equally grateful to all those that worked tirelessly to ensure that the Games was hitch free even as she commended the various committees for a job well done and the athletes for exhibiting good sportsmanship throughout the duration of the Games.
“I’m really excited that the Games drew many athletes from various Universities across Africa to come and compete favourably among themselves.
“Over the course of this Games, a total of 70 Universities across Africa arrived Nigeria with 834 athletes; 590 of them males and 244 females accompanied by 185 institutional officials made up of 135 males and 50 females to compete in 17 sports.
” Out of these Universities, 21 came from outside Nigeria from 13 countries namely; Ghana, Uganda, Burundi, Guinea, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Tanzania, Mauritius, Angola , Kenya and Egypt and an official from India.
” In the last days of this competition, various shapes of medals have been won and today, am really proud of all the participants who made a podium finish and those who were not able to win medals for being great sportsmen and women”, she stated
Prof.Ogunsola was full of praises for Team UNILAG and Team LASU for putting up great showing with the hosting of the teams not minding the various economic challenges confronting the country declaring that Nigerians have shown that it’s not all about economics but about people rising up and working together to make things happen.
Also in her farewell address, Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji- Bello while commending FASU and NUGA for finding LASU and UNILAG worthy to host the Games, explained that nine days it lasted demonstrated how sports can serve as a tool for African unity even as she expressed joy that her University in it’s 42 years of existence was able to host an international competition.
” I’m happy that LASU and UNILAG are proud of co- hosting this Games because it created the platform where new friendship and alliances where found across countries among the students.
” We are equally happy that we hosted one of the best Games in the history of FASU which attracted tourists from all over the country and across the continent who visited our Universities in the course of this Games and am happy that we gave Nigeria worthy representation”, she stressed.
Representative of FASU President, Tsitsi Musuva of Bindura University of Science Education, Zimbabwe commended the two institutions for putting up a wonderful Games, noting that FASU is proud of them.
She described the days spent by the athletes and officials in Nigeria as a wonderful experience and commended the hospitality they enjoyed in the country
President of Nigerian University Games Association ( NUGA) Engr. Bawa Mohammed who was full of praises to the two Universities for the excellent facilities put in place for the competition noted that the Games will help in the discovery of budding talents in the various Universities across Africa.
The closing ceremony was spiced up with match past, cultural displays, music and dance.
Highlight of the closing ceremony was the handing over of hosting flag to the next host of the Games, American University Cairo Egypt.
