As other States scramble for medals, Lagos State has continued its come-back to the helm of sports without their usual fanfare that won them the tag “Eko For Show”.

With its policy of not poaching athletes from other states and nurturing youths to limelight, the State of Aquatic splendour has proved that the future of the Festival belongs to them. With 17 boxers to the Festival, 11 have punched their way to the next round as they totally dominate the noble art of self defence.

“We are doing better than we did at the last edition in Kaduna. We are paying special attention to youths development instead of poaching already made athletes. In Kaduna, we went with first timers in the festival. In Port Harcourt, we are here with mainly second timers and they are showing amazing confidence and guts.

But when we host the next edition, these athletes will come of age and experience and they will explode. We are doing things the right way. As you know, our Governor wants things done the right way”, Tayo Balogun, Vice Chairman of Lagos State Sports Council said.

Despite the youthfulness of the Team Lagos contingent, there are flashes of hope that Lagos State would surpass its feat at the Kaduna Festival and come home to rule Nigerian sports for a long time. By then, most of these states would not see athletes to poach.