Nasarawa State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Othman Bala Adam, has, on behalf of the Executive Governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule and the entire people of the State, congratulated the State para-athletics team, Team Nasarawa Para, on winning the one-day 2nd edition of the North-Central Zonal Para-Athletics Championship held at the Old Parade Ground, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, today, Saturday, 26th September, 2020.

The Commissioner who said he had notified the Governor on the great feat attained, joined other sports -loving Staff of the Ministry as well as the State as a whole in saluting the heroic performance of the victorious Team Nasarawa Para- Athletics over other States within the North-Central Zone of the Country, after the Secretary of the Association, Patricia Oshuwayine broke the pleasant news on the Ministry’s social media platform, WhatsApp.

Othman Bala said the Governor praised the athletes for displaying uncommon strength, confidence, skills, dexterity, and above all, ability in disability, in their victory over the other states who were tipped as pre-championship favourites.

However, the overwhelmed Commissioner urged members of the team and their handlers to remain focused and dedicated ahead of future challenges.

He assured the team, its coaches and the State’s Para-Association of the Governor and State Government’s continued support to ensure that they exceed all expectations in tandem with the administration’s slogan of Governor Engr. Abdullahi Sule.

At the end of the championship, Team Nasarawa Para-Athletics coached by Tunde Olawuyi and Vitalis Lanshima, won fourteen(14) medals made up of thirteen(13) Gold and one(1) Silver, beating States like Abuja who came second(with nine Gold, six Silver and two Bronze), Plateau(3rd with four Gold and eight Silver), Niger(4th with two Gold) and Benue(5th with two Bronze),to emerge overall champions.

The event was the first the State would be participating in since the Federal Government, through the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, announced the lifting of ban on non-contact sporting activities in the country.