ADERONKE AKANBI WINS GOLD IN 3,000 METERS AT 19TH ISF, NORMANDY, FRANCE ~ ABAMIEDAABLOG

••••••• PUTS JOGA ORILE, OGUN STATE ON SPORTS WORLD MAP

17 year old Aderonke Akanbi, an SS1 Arts Student of Yewa Egbado College, Ilaro and Product of Agroterra Sports Academy, Joga Orile, Ogun State has won gold medal in 3,000 meters at the just concluded 19th International School Sports Federation Gymnasiade held in Normandy, France.

Aderonke also broke a 1979 record by completing the 3000 meters in 9 minutes, 36 seconds ahead of favourites from Kenya, Uganda and Romania. The gold medal enabled Nigeria to finish as 21st out of 63 countries that competed in 20 events.

Aderonke and the duo of Olaotan Esther, SS 1 Commercial and Taiwo Kudoro also of Yewa Egbado College and Agroterra Sports Academy, who were part of Nigeria's 10 man contingent, were formally presented to Abepa of Joga Orile, Oba Adeyemi Olanrewaju Adekeye in his Palace.

Oba Adekeye prayed for the girls who are all 17 years old urging them to stay focused, disciplined, committed and resolute warning them to stay off bad companies and drugs. He thanked Engr. Afonja, the Founder of Agroterra Sports Academy for his yeoman's support for the development of Joga land and Yewa in general. He commended him for successfully extending the golf course to 18 holes from 9 holes in addition to the standard football and basketball pitches and lawn tennis courts available at the Agroterra facility urging him not to rest on his oars. Speaking earlier, Engr. Afonja commended the coaches of Agroterra Sports Academy for their labour of love urging them to stay focused. He said they would continue to comb Yewa for gems in Sports and academics and urged government and well meaning Nigerians to join hands with him in his developmental strides.

In his remarks, Aderonke's coach, Mr. Ojuola Oladiran Ayinde, a retired Ogun State Sports Council Athletics Chief Coach, commended Aderonke for excelling despite the harsh weather and uncommon food served them in France. He commended Taiwo Kudoro for coming 4th in 400 metres and Esther for being part of the medley team that also came fourth at the competition. As the saying goes, nothing succeeds like success. Here is wishing Aderonke and her colleagues the very best as they take the Athletics world by storm in coming weeks. I sincerely hope that relevant bodies and personalities will harness these raw potentials to win gold medals at 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.