After claiming three gold medals in the para athletics event of the 20th National Sports Festival, Temitope Olaniyan is now focusing on conquering the world with a passionate appeal to the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to support his quest to be part of the world tournament in Poland and Brazil later this year.
Olaniyan claimed gold medals in the men’s deaf 200m, 400m and 800m to contribute to the gold medals won by Lagos in Benin.
The 23-year-old deaf athlete said: “My coming to Edo has been a blessing as I gained experience and exposure as well as winning medals for Lagos State. I feel so very much happy and great for winning 3 gold medals.
“My next target is to become world champion and I am making a passionate appeal to Mr. Governor to consider and look into deaf sports in terms of sponsorship especially for the Deaf World Athletics in Poland and Deaflympics in Brazil.
“Deaf athletes have the strength, ability and the team spirit to excel to any level in the world and to make Lagos State and Nigeria proud. “
He also hailed the Chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) for their support.
“As you all can see, despite the number of deaf athletes in this festival, we still won six gold medals altogether to make Lagos State proud and to make Lagos State Deaf Sports proud. I also broke a record time in Deaf 400m men final of 49.36secs.
Olaniyan says he dreams of making it big in sports and education if given the needed support.
“My ambition in athletics is to travel to the Deaflympics in Brazil 2022, Deaf World Athletics in Poland in August 2021 and more importantly, I have this ambition to continue my education and to be a great deaf athlete in Africa and World,” he added. (Nation)