April 05, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) has revealed plans to take a team of 100 to the Summer World University Games in Chengdu, China, this July.
The team is expected to compete in athletics, swimming, badminton, judo, taekwondo, table tennis, and tennis.
NUGA’s Acting General Secretary, Chidiebere Ezeani, said the event presents a great opportunity for Nigerian students to showcase their talents on a global stage and bring glory to the nation.
Red Sapphire and Integrated Marketing Communications have been appointed to secure sponsorship and partners to provide financial support for the team travelling to China. The Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU) and Red Sapphire’s CEO, Ono Akpe, have met to discuss preparations for the Summer World University Games. They were hosted by China’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Cui Jianchun, at a gathering in Abuja.
Nigeria’s best performance at the University Games was at the 1983 Summer Universiade in Edmonton, where they finished third on the athletics medal with five gold medals. THEWILL recalls that visa problems prevented Nigerian competitors from competing at the last Summer Universiade in Naples. The country hopes to establish inter-university exchanges and partnerships with their counterparts in China.
The Nigerian delegation last won a gold medal in 1997. The event, which was postponed from 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will take place from July 28 to August 8, 2023, in Chengdu, China.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
