Team Lagos has emerged top in the South-West elimination series for the team events ahead of the 23rd National Sports Festival scheduled to hold in Enugu later this year.
The elimination series featured volleyball, basketball, football, beach volleyball and cricket in both male and female categories, with teams from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti participating.
Lagos dominated the volleyball events, securing first position in both the male and female categories. The male team defeated Ondo 25-18, 24-26, 25-20, 25-20 in the final, while the female team overcame Oyo 25-18, 22-25, 28-26, 16-25, 15-8.
In basketball, the Lagos male team defeated Osun 68-41 in their final match, while the female team finished second behind Ogun. The Lagos female football team also secured the ticket after defeating Oyo 1-0 in the final.
The Lagos male and female cricket teams finished second in their respective categories, earning qualification tickets behind Oyo and Ekiti respectively.
Reacting to the performance, the Director-General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr Lekan Fatodu, attributed the results to the state government’s investment in sports infrastructure and athlete development.
Fatodu said the performance demonstrated the quality of sporting talent in Lagos and the impact of ongoing efforts to develop athletes for competition at the highest level.
He also commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his commitment to sports development, noting that investment in facilities, programmes and athlete development had provided opportunities for athletes to compete and excel.
The South-West elimination series served as a qualifying competition for the 23rd National Sports Festival, bringing together athletes from the six South-West states across the five team events.
