… As OSOM games commences Thursday in Abuja
BY FRANK MOMODU
In a bid to firm up preparedness of its athletes towards the Tokyo Olympics in Japan, the city of Abuja is finally set to host the One Sport One Medal (OSOM) Games from the 20th-24th January 2021.
15 events will be competed for by members of the Armed Forces and the Paramilitary, the federal government through the Sports Ministry disclosed in Abuja.
This is coming after several postponements though occasioned by the COVID-19 Pandemic, Extraordinairenews.com learnt.
This is according to a statement signed by the Director of Grassroots Development of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development Dr. Ademola Are, which was made available to the media in Abuja.
The Minister of Youth and sports Development Mr. Sunday Dare has therefore approved the staging of the OSOM Games in Abuja over a 4 day period with 15 events to be competed for.
Events to be competed for include athletics, swimming, taekwondo, weightlifting, tug of war, beach volleyball, boxing, chess, squash, scrabble.. Others are golf, tennis, shooting, table tennis, and badminton.
While beach volleyball will take place at the Jabi Lake, boxing will hold at Old Parade Ground, Area 10, Chess at Media Centre, Package A, Golf to tee off at TYB International Golf Resorts and Country Club, Shehu Yar Adua Barracks, Asokoro,
Scrabble players will have a field day at Abuja VIP Lounge, Package A. The shooting shooting range, package B will come alive playing host to shooting.
Squash Squash Court, Package B host the squash event, swimming takes place at the Pool of Package BTable Tennis Indoor Sports Hall, Package B. Others are: Taekwondo at Velodrome, Package A, Tennis at Tennis Court, Package B
It would be tug of war at the training pitch, Package A, with weightlifters trying their strength at the gymnasium, Package B of the Moshood Abiola National stadium .
The statement further said the OSOM GAMES is being organised to foster peace, unity and sports Development among members of the Armed forces Military and the paramilitary in the country.
It is also geared towards the discovery of hidden, established talents for future podium success for the country.
The event was earlier scheduled to hold late last year in Kaduna, but was postponed due to logistics reasons.