Lagos ready tor national judo trials, says Hammed

Chairman, Lagos State Judo Association (LSJA), Sheriff Hammed, has assured Nigerians that the state is prepared to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games national judo trials, which was earlier moved from January to this month.

The tournament, which serves as athletes’ selection for the 2022 Commonwealth Games holding in Birmingham, England, was earlier scheduled to hold from January 26 to 29 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.

But it was rescheduled to hold from February 22 to 25 at the same venue as the earlier date clashed with zonal eliminations for the 2022 NUGA Games to be hosted by the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

Over 300 judokas from across the country are expected to participate in the three-day tournament.

The LSJA chairman said the event would give the state opportunity to showcase its facilities and the support the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) has been receiving from the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led government.

“We are excited to welcome the best judokas from across the country in Lagos. We are poised to stage a hitch-free event and we believe we will continue to raise the profile of the sport in a state regarded as Nigeria’s hub of sports.

“There is no doubt that the postponement would afford the athletes opportunity to train well and be prepared for the challenge, as only the best will make it to the Commonwealth Games,” he said.

Hammed lauded the Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF), led by Dr. Musa Oshodi, for considering the state as the host of the tournament, which is the first major competition since the new board came to being last year.