Tunde Ajibike, the acting general Manager of Oyo State Sports Council, has advised the state’s athletes to strike a balance in sports and education for maximum effect.

Ajibike told journalists on Friday in Ibadan that athletes must realise that education is pivotal in life.

”They must utilise the opportunities they have for proper gains,” said Ajibike. ”So, I want all athletes in the state to take their education seriously.”

Ajibike said sports and education are interwoven as they complement one another.

“ They (athletes) will go farther and be more successful if they take their education seriously alongside doing sports,” he stated.

The sports council official explained that this was even more necessary because there are more opportunities for an educated athlete.

“An athlete won’t compete for all of his or her life, and this (life after sports) is when being educated comes to play.

“A retired athlete can be a coach or take up other things that sport entails,” he said.

Speaking on the just-concluded eighth National Youth Games (NYG) in Asaba, Ajibike said the council was impressed with the performance of the state’s contingent.

“Our contingent performed better this time around, compared to in previous editions,” he remarked.

Ajibike said there was a remarkable improvement, judging by the number of medals the state’s athletes won. He said this showed that Oyo State Sports Council and its athletes were on the right track.

Oyo State, represented by 183 athletes who participated in 28 events, finished seventh at the games with 10 gold, seven silver and 10 bronze medals.

It was a significant improvement from the seventh edition in 2023 at the same Asaba, where they had four gold, four silver and nine bronze medals.

(NAN)