- Paul Onehi
Over 100 archers are expected at the forthcoming Lagos Open Archery Championship under the auspices of Zen Archery, in collaboration with the Lagos State Archery Association, at the Teslim Balogun Stadium between March 9 and 10.
According to the head of Zen Archery, Emmanuel Oyeleke, the championship will feature different categories including Compound, Recurve, and Barebow, with participants expected across the country.
Oyeleke, a national archery champion, said the championship was the inaugural archers’ ranking/ratings database event by Zen Archery, which promises a fiercely contested tournament with enticing cash prizes for participants.
Read Also: Golfer George Paul: Every golfer dreams of winning FirstBank Open Championship
He said the championship would go beyond sporting celebration with focus on the country’s cultural heritage, noting that it underscores the importance of driving inclusion across a wide range of sporting events in Nigeria.
Oyeleke also said that, the championship highlights the significance of supporting youth development and sports in Nigeria, adding the events like the Zen Archery Lagos Open Championship, would play crucial roles in nurturing talent and providing platforms for athletes to excel.
“ Apart from archery, I played scrabble for quite some time but eventually I get to know about archery and since then it’s become part of me and is more dear to my heart,” Oyeleke said. “Archery is a huge development for me, I have been able to connect with active community here in Nigeria and even outside Nigeria, archery is an Olympic sport and I believe one day Nigeria will send a representative to the Olympics for the game of archery.”