NAN-S-10
Athletes
By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
Lagos, Aug. 9, 2017 (NAN) The Head Coach of Lagos State Karate Association (LSKA), Sola Shoyoye, on Wednesday advised the country’s athletes to be regular in training to boost their career.
Shoyoye told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that trainers usually prepared programmes to polish athletes’ talents which were part of requirements to remain relevant in competitive sport.
He said that dedicated athletes would have more advantage of making the state or nation’s team when there was an opportunity for camping toward any championship.
“Athletes need to be punctual to training because the programmes are prepared in stages which are expected to be followed within a period of time.
“The purpose is to ensure that they move with trends, keep them in competition shape should an opportunity call for them to participate in competitions,’’ he said.
The coach spoke against the backdrop of athletes that have shunned training which, according to him, will make them to be competition rusty and loose track with developments in their sport.
“Some athletes have really gone to sleep which is detrimental to their career, they need to therefore wake up to remain relevant to the authorities,’’ he said.
Shoyoye warned champions in various categories not to sit on their victory, adding that upcoming talents were also training to dethrone them at subsequent championships.
According to him, the inability of some defending champions to sustain their feats in national championships and trials has denied them opportunities of representing the country in international tournaments.
“This is part of the reason for open trials so that we can know athletes’ form and also give opportunity for others to prove their skills and get identified,’’ he added.
Shoyoye expressed the confidence that the new board of KFN would intensity efforts to make competitions regular and improve the standard of the sport. (NAN)
MIL/NNO/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)