Gbenga Elegbeleye tips Nigeria for football, basketball gold medals

Gbenga Elegbeleye, who is the director general of the National Sports Commission (NSC), believes the country has the potential to win gold medals in the men and women’s football, as well as the basketball event of the 2015 All Africa Games.

Nigeria failed to qualify for the men and women football events of the last All Africa Games in Mozambique, but the basketball team, D’Tigers, won the gold medal in that event.

Speaking on his expectations of the national teams at the 11th All Africa Games scheduled for September 4 to 19 in Congo Brazzaville, Elegbeleye said the U- 23 national team, the Super Falcons and the men’s national basketball team could win the gold medals if they worked towards that goal.

The All Africa Games, which is Africa’s fashion of the Olympic Games, attracts about 52 countries of Africa and Nigeria has always been a power house in the competition.

At the weekend, the Samson Siasia led U-23 team went to Zambia to beat them 2-1 in the return leg of the final round of the qualifiers having played a goalless draw in the first leg decided in Abuja.

Also the Super Falcons made mincemeat of Mali in the return leg of same final round qualifying series, beating the Malians 8-0 in Abuja having played a 1-1 draw away in the first leg.

The men’s national basketball team also qualified for the All Africa Games by beating Burkina Faso in the first leg of the final round in Ouagadougou 87-63 and 63-50 in the final leg played in Lagos.

The elated Elegbeleye commended the teams for doing the nation proud and charged them to go for the gold medals at stake in their various competitions in Congo Brazzaville.

“The National Sports Commission (NSC) is very happy with the qualification of our national U- 23 football team, the Dream Team VI, the Super Falcons and the men’s national basketball team for this year’s All Africa Games holding in Congo Brazzaville in September.