University Games: UNILAG to field 143 athletes, VC says

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, said the institution would field 143 athletes at the 11th Federation of African University Sports (FASU) Games to be co-hosted by the institution and Lagos State University (LASU).

Ogunsola stated this at a news conference held at the Senate Chambers of UNILAG on Thursday in Akoka, Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Games is scheduled for Sept. 20 to 29.

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The opening ceremony of the 10-day event will hold on Sept. 21, at the Sports Complex, while the closing ceremony will be held on Sept. 28, at LASU in Ojo.

The theme of the Games is : `Unite, Compete and Excel’ .

According to the organisers of the games,  43 countries would be  represented.

Female and male athletes are expected to  compete for laurels in 17 events,  which include, Athletics (track and field), Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Handball, Badminton, and Tennis.

Others are Table Tennis, Swimming, Taekwondo, Judo, Karate, Cricket, Hockey, Chess, Scrabble and Boxing (Demonstration Sport).

Ogunsola said that the 143 athletes comprising of 85 male and 58 female   would compete for laurels.

“We have a number of sports that will see our talented sports men and women compete in. We  have 18 men and 18 women in the football event.

“We also have 10 swimmers, 12 players for basketball and volleyball and  10 for chess.

“In Judo we have eight males and four females, making it 12 and eight males and seven females for athletics. In Taekwondo we have five males and five females.

“For Table Tennis, we will present four males and four females,  while in Tennis we  have two for both male and female, making it four  with 25 officials,” she said.

Ogunsola said  that UNILAG would ensure that its  athletes perform well  at the games among other participants.

“As one of the host institutions, we are committed to making the games a resounding success. UNILAG has always been a beacon of excellence in academics and sports.

“We view this responsibility as an opportunity to reinforce our leadership role in promoting student-athlete development across Africa.

“The  games are not merely about sports; they represent a broader vision of unity, youth empowerment, and academic excellence across the African continent.

“For us at UNILAG, hosting the games is an opportunity to contribute to the development of sports on our continent, while also showcasing the incredible potential that abounf  within our students,” she said.

She said that it will  also provide a platform for student-athletes to exhibit their hard work, resilience and discipline.

An on the spot assessment of the the UNILAG sport complex shows that the arena is already, wearing a new look with artisans painting the surroundings.

A visit to the tartan tracks shows a well conditioned tracks ready to host the African University Games, while the grass football pitch is also well maintained.