Edo State government on Monday supported Enoch Adegoke, a sprinter, with $10,000 to finance his preparations ahead of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 scheduled to hold from July 23 to August 8, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan.
Adegoke, Edo State ambassador at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics games, was the 100m gold medalist at the National Sports Festival hosted in Edo in the first half of 2021, and qualified for the 100m event of the Tokyo Olympics.
Philip Shaibu, Edo State governor, in a zoom meeting with stakeholders in the sports sector, said the approved fund would ensure that the athlete focuses on the games in a bid to win a medal.
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The deputy governor urged him to be calm and stay away from the use of drugs, assuring that the state government would continue to support him in his future outings.
“Don’t be under pressure, be yourself and we are sure that with training and support, you will come back home with a medal.
“I can recall how hard you trained to qualify for the Games. You were dedicated to your craft and the whole Edo erupted in jubilation when you qualified for the Olympics. You are indeed a worthy ambassador,” Philip said.
Adegoke, on his part, who expressed gratitude to the government for the support, promised to make the state and Nigeria proud.
“I am happy to be part of this arrangement, it shows that the Edo State Government means well for me. The road to qualifications wasn’t easy. I thank the state government for the support and I promise to make the state and Nigeria proud.
