Gara Gombe said: “It’s our expectation that after the kids had watched the Athletics events, they will develop interest in the sport and finally embrace it, this would also make them take their education seriously and cut off street hawking.”
By Uzor Odigbo
Talents hunt was made possible as thausands of spectators including school children throng the Pantami Stadium in Gombe to witness the maiden edition of Dr. Ahmed Gara Shuaibu Gombe AthIetics Grand Prix.
The competition which featured athletes in and around the Gombe metropolis was keenly contested in 100m, 400m, 1500m, long jump and 4×100m relay boys and girls. as other demonstrations events also took center Stage.
The grand prix being the first of its kind inside main-bowl of Pantami Stadium was attended by numerous Schools accompanied by pupils and students the Schools.
The competition was dedicated to the school kids in attendance and was aimed at kindling interests of huge number school children to embrace athletics at young age.
According to the Sponsor, Hon Gara Gombe, the said packaging the competition with a few AthIetics events was also to arouse the interest of young athletes mainly school kids who form majority of expected talents to the sport.
“It’s our expectation that after the kids had watch the AthIetics events, they will develop interest in the sport and finally embrace it, this would also make them take their education seriously and cut off street hawking, said Hon. Ahmed Gombe.
Dignitaries from the political, educational and sports circle such as the marathon legend Abass Mohammed, Chairman Gombe State Sports Commission, director of schools and others, witnessed the event.
In their comments, they extolled the Sponsor and organiser of the event and assured of their individual contributions to the effort of catching them Young project of the Chairman Gombe AthIetics Association.
However the Gombe State Chapter of National Association of Technical Officials (NAATO) was inaugurated after their training on Monday.
Twelve members our of 70 participants in the training were endorsed as executives of the chapter and were immediately sworn by NAATO national first vice president.
Coaches that anchored the event include, Dr. Alex Miana, Mohammed Kolo, Solomon Achi, Simon Ayuba, Abass Mohammed, NAATO secretary James, and others.
In his remarks after their inauguration, Hon. Gara Gombe demanded loyalty and absolute seriousness in their conduct as a unit, pointing out that their determination would spur others to join them to make AthIetics officiating in Gombe State successful.