The Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, said the institution would field 143 athletes at the 11th Federation of African University Sports (FASU) Games to be co-hosted by the institution and Lagos State University (LASU).
Ogunsola stated this at a news conference held at the Senate Chambers of UNILAG on Thursday in Akoka, Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the games is scheduled for Sept. 20–29.
The opening ceremony of the 10-day event will be held on Sept. 21 at the Sports Complex, while the closing ceremony will be held on Sept. 28 at LASU in Ojo.
The theme of the games is `Unite, Compete, and Excel’.
According to the organisers of the games, 43 countries will be represented.
Female and male athletes are expected to compete for laurels in 17 events, which include athletics (track and field), football, basketball, volleyball, handball, badminton, and tennis.
Others are table tennis, swimming, taekwondo, judo, karate, cricket, hockey, chess, scrabble, and boxing (demonstration sport).
Ogunsola said that the 143 athletes, comprising 85 males and 58 females, would compete for laurels.
“We have a number of sports that our talented men and women will compete in. We have 18 men and 18 women in the football event.
“We also have 10 swimmers, 12 players for basketball and volleyball, and 10 for chess.
“In Judo, we have eight males and four females, making it 12 and eight males and seven females for athletics. In Taekwondo, we have five males and five females.
“For table tennis, we will present four males and four females, while in tennis we have two for both males and females, making it four with 25 officials,” she said.
Ogunsola said that UNILAG would ensure that its athletes perform well at the games among other participants.
“As one of the host institutions, we are committed to making the games a resounding success. UNILAG has always been a beacon of excellence in academics and sports.
“We view this responsibility as an opportunity to reinforce our leadership role in promoting student-athlete development across Africa.
“The games are not merely about sports; they represent a broader vision of unity, youth empowerment, and academic excellence across the African continent.
“For us at UNILAG, hosting the games is an opportunity to contribute to the development of sports on our continent while also showcasing the incredible potential that exists within our students,” she said.
She said that it will also provide a platform for student-athletes to exhibit their hard work, resilience, and discipline.
An on-the-spot assessment of UNILAG’s sports complex shows that the arena is already wearing a new look, with artisans painting the surroundings.
A visit to the Tartan tracks shows well-conditioned tracks ready to host the African University Games, while the grass football pitch is also well-maintained.
NAN
