Bauchi State director of sports, Usman Yusuf said their aim at the National Youth Games beginning next week Wednesday in Asaba, Delta, will be to display how far the State governor Senator Bala Mohammed has gone with sports development.
Team Bauchi competed in 13 events at the zonal elimination held in Jalingo, Taraba State, they finished with five gold and eight silver medals, qualifying them to compete in as many as ten ball games.
“Our athletes outstanding performance outshine our opponents, which qualified us to represent the zone in cricket male team, rugby male and female, volleyball female team, handball female team, basketball male and female teams, hockey female team and beach volleyball male and female teams at the National Youth Games,” Yusuf stated.
According to him, the success story of the 222-man Team Bauchi at the North East Zonal Elimination derived from the moral and financial support rendered by the state Governor, commending him for his keen interest and desire to develop the state sports industry for purposeful development of the youth and his consideration of sports as a viable profession, socio-political instrument for national unity, in line with his “My Bauchi Agenda”.
He therefore assured the government and people of Bauchi State that the state contingent to the National Youth Games in Asaba Delta State under his watch, will not take the victory at the zonal elimination for granted, but will consolidate on the efforts to record more success at the Youth Games to justify government’s huge investment in the project.
Yusuf also commended the Bauchi State Commissioner of Sports, Mohammed Salis Gamawa, for his exemplary leadership and for being a good ambassador of Governor Bala Mohammed by uplifting sporting activities and ensuring revival of Bauchi State in maintaining its glorious name as Mecca of Sports in Nigeria.
Bauchi hosted one of the best National Sports Festival in the year 2000, where Team Delta emerged winner for the first time. Bauchi had earlier hosted the National sports festival in 1991.
