Gateway Games : Navy Captain Ayoade predicts brighter future for shooting

By Ifeanyi Eduzor

President of Nigeria Shooting Federation (NSF), Navy Captain Bamidele Ayoade says that the country boast of quality shooters that can qualify for the Olympics; declaring that it’s his dream to see the sports grow to enviable height and the country challenge for honours at international competitions .

Nigeria has never featured in shooting events at the Olympics since the introduction of modern Olympic movement in 1896 but the shooting boss believes that with adequate training and exposure that jinx would be broken

Navy Captain Ayoade who spoke to our correspondent at Ogun State Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, venue of the shooting events of the 22nd National Sports Festival, said his dream of transforming the sports is driven by his determination to take it to higher level in the country.

According to the Senior Naval Officer, the quality of talents that abound in the country which was displayed in Abeokuta, gave hope for a better days ahead for the sport.

While noting that Nigerian maskmen and women have been impressive at international meets in recent times, Navy Captain Ayoade stressed that the present board of NSF under his leadership is working hard to ensure that Nigerian athletes participate in tournaments to gain the needed experience and exposure that will make them world beaters

“The first legacy I want to leave behind is to qualify the country for it’s first Olympic, and it’s my dream that God will make it possible because we have the talents that can do that .

“We have the talent, but lack the experience, training and exposure which is what we will go outside of the country to acquire ” he said while naming Sokoto, Bauchi, Gombe, Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Delta as states with potentials in the sports.

“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 have received new equipment from International Shooting Sport Federation ( ISSF) and that will improve our equipment holding and capacity to train more athletes.

On the performance of the maskmen and women at the Gateway Games, the shooting helmsman commended them for putting up excellent performances at the country’s version of the Olympics.

“I’m impressed with the level of competition among the athletes in the festival. They really did well and that gave us hope of better future for Nigeria in shooting.

“The standard has been high and the facilities provided by the organisers are encouraging as well,” he added, noting that no fewer than 120 athletes from 12 states competed in the shooting events at the festival.

Navy Captain Ayoade was optimistic that with adequate government funding and corporate support, the country’ s shooters will be a force to be reckoned with globally.