By Daily Sports on September 12, 2020

Few months after securing her place in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Minister of Youth and sports, Hon. Sunday Dare, on Friday received Elizabeth Anyanacho.

Elizabeth Anyanacho defeated former African champion, Urgence Mouega of Gabon, 12-5 points in the -67kg women’s bout at the 2020 Africa Taekwondo Olympic Qualifiers that took place at Complexe Sportif Moulay Abdellah (Palais des Sports), Rabat City, Morocco.

The minister emphasised that he monitored Anyanacho’s progress and would have received her earlier if not for the coronavirus pandemic and the attendant lockdown.

He said: “I appreciate your patience today but more importantly, I knew this is something we wanted to do much more earlier before Covid-19 happened.

“We are grateful to God that we are still alive today and after things started opening up, you hinted that you would like for her to be received and I said absolutely.

“I recalled that I followed her progress, thanks to you for sending the video, presentation of her and I think I met her once at my office at the National Stadium.

“I never knew that those that are into taekwondo can also be philosophers and speakers, I have to watch when I see taekwondo people maybe they will have same attribute that you have.

“What we are about in sports is youth development in science and technology, and anywhere we find our youth excelling, we want to celebrate them.

“When you look at the condition in which they excel, almost humanly impossible and I think you represent the very essence of our youth.

“You also validate the fact that the youth of our country has potentials, even beyond themselves because these are people that are low supported but still excel, how much more if they get the full support daily.

“Whether is basketball, football, athletics, when it comes to sports competitions, you required the same thing high level of discipline.

“What you required in taekwondo, dedication, tactics, discipline, concentration etc is the same thing for other sports.

“So you can’t look down on anybody that excel, for the fact you made history. That you've qualified for the Olympic, is not diminish you in anyway, we will celebrate you because you have done us proud at different continental levels.

“We are happy that you earned a ticket to go to the Olympics. We hope others will join you shortly. We know couple of others that has also qualified.

“I just want to say that you make sure you don’t get rusty because when I see you I remember a wrestler Odunaya who is also 22 years, you have same height and physique. She has also been training relentlessly.

“I have success, glory and searchlight on the youth and I think this government is making necessary efforts and walking the talk, we received unquantified supports from President Muhammadu Buhari.

“You look at Youth Investment Fund. On National Day for the youth when we celebrate our youth, we still have to celebrate herself and Odunaya in come November 1st.

“We are going to celebrate them and they will also be rewarded.

“When you also look at the reclassification of sports from recreation to business, this shows that government means business with sport.

“As the policy is approved we will see more resources coming to sports, our athletes will benefit from that in terms of welfare support, traveling for necessary competitions, etc.

“You see a government that is interested in sports and overall development. I’m sure you are not joking with your education; that is important.

“I have to thank Chukwumerije because I know apart from her there couple of others that he is also working on, you are doing a great job.

“On our part we will support you as much as we can, we have demonstrated that in the past.

“In the next two weeks we are going to start pre-Olympic camp for athletes at different centres, let’s make sure taekwondo also gets a slot either in Abuja or Akure, we want to keep our athletes there for two weeks, just to get them out of their rustiness and get them going again ahead of the next year extended 6 months camp.

“Anyanacho made history as the first Nigeria female to qualify for the Olympics in 16 years and second African female ever.”

•PHOTO: Sports Minister Sunday Dare (L), receiving African taekwondo champion Elizabeth Anyanacho on Friday in Abuja

Source Daily Sports

Posted September 12, 2020

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