DAWN Games 2014 Ends Today

Curtains will fall on the maiden edition of South-West Secondary Schools Games tagged DAWN Games 2014 today at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

The schools sports tournament, which saw over 2000 students and officials from Ekiti, Lagos, Oyo, Ogun and Osun States competing in 12 sports will come to a close in a glamorous ceremony expected to be attended by the Executive Governors of all the participating states.

The closing ceremony, which will be chaired by the host Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos, will also be attended by eminent Lagosians, members of Lagos State Executive Council, Permanent Secretaries, members of the State’s House of Assembly, members of Conference 57, the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akilolu, Managing Directors of all the sponsor’s companies.

The Commissioner, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, has also directed all teachers and students of the state’s public secondary schools to come out en masse to witness the fun-filled ceremony.

Events such as the finals of 100 metres 4 x 400m relay and 4 x 400m relay for boys and girls will be decided, while a calisthenics display by selected students as well as a music extravaganza will be staged to spice up the occasion.

Meanwhile, the third place match of the football event was won by Team Lagos after they defeated Team Osun in a one sided tie that ended 7-0 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.

Team Lagos also cleared Basketball gold medals in boys and girls’ categories. Team Lagos beat Ogun 73 – 33 points in the boys final, Lagos also defeated Oyo 24-22 points in the girls final at Mobolaji Johnson Sports Complex, Rowe Park , Yaba.

DAWN Games kicks off in Lagos

The maiden edition of South-West Secondary Schools Games tagged DAWN Games begins on Friday May 16 in Lagos with over 2,000 athletes and officials in attendance.

The DAWN Games, which will be competed by athletes from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti State, is a 12 sports tournament of Nigeria School Sports Federation, NSSF. The sports are Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Chess, Football, Gymnastics, Scrabble, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Taekwondo and Volleyball. It will be staged in three centres across Lagos: Agege Stadium, Mobolaji Johnson Sports Complex, Rowe Park, Yaba and the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, while the NYSC Camp at Iyana Ipaja in Lagos.

According to the schedule of event released to the media by the Technical Sub-Committee of the Main Organising Committee (MOC), athletes and officials are expected to check in to the Games Village on Friday with accreditations taking off in full swing, while events will begin on Sunday May 18 with Football and Gymnastics taking the centre stage at the Agege Stadium and Rowe Park Sports Centre respectively.

According to the schedules, Rowe Park will also play host to Badminton, Basketball and Tennis. At Teslim Balogun Stadium, sports such as Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Volleyball, Swimming, Scrabble and Athletics will be on stage, while Agege Stadium will also host Chess.

It was gathered that Team Ogun, would present 186 athletes, while no fewer than 163 athletes will represent Team Lagos.

Meanwhile, a member of basketball team for Lagos, Ololade Azeez has expressed confidence that Lagos will win gold medal in both male and female basketball event of the competition.

“I am happy to be among the players that will represent Lagos at DAWN Games. Our training so far is superb and very impressive. We are in good form now and ready to win gold medals for team Lagos in Basketball both male and female category,” he said.

Head Coach of Badminton of Team Lagos, Kayode Olatunji said there is high spirit in camp as the players are looking forward to participating at the DAWN Games, adding that the supports the players and officials received from the state government will boost their morale to excel at the Games, which will end on 24 May.

MOC hoists flags for DAWN Game

The hoisting of flags for the South-West Secondary Schools Games tagged DAWN Games was held yesterday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Members of the Main Organising Committee (MOC) chaired by Wahid Oshodi attended the flag hoisting ceremony.

The MOC boss said at the ceremony that the hoisting symbolised the readiness of the host, Lagos to stage a glamorous competition.

“I want to tell our brothers and sisters that from other south-west states that we are expecting them for the Games. We want to show again that we can repeat the show and the glamour of the last National Sports Festival tagged Eko 2012 during the DAWN Games,” he said.

“The athletes and officials will experience the hospitality Lagos is known of at the championship. Everything from health, security and all those things that will make us put in place a glamorous competition are ready. The facilities are world class and by Friday this week, the Games will begin,” Oshodi said

The DAWN Games, which will kick off on May 16 to 24 and will be staged at three centres: Agege Stadium, Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba and the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

Over 2000 athletes from six states made up of Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti and host – Lagos are expected to compete in 12 school sports events.