The Anambra government has donated sports equipment to schools that produced champions at the Anambra School Sports Festival, held between May and June this year.

Patrick-Estate Onyedum, Chairman of the Anambra State Sports Development Commission (ASSDC), accompanied by members of staff, handed over the equipment to the deserving schools.

The Commission had earlier given prize money, ranging from N1.5 million to N500,000, to the three top winners, with over N500,000 as reward for individuals who won special awards during the First Anambra Sports Solution Initiative.

The equipment included a volleyball court, an Olympic table tennis board, football, volleyball, and basketball.

Washington Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha, which excelled in volleyball, had its dilapidated volleyball court expanded and renovated.

St Anthony’s Catholic Comprehensive Institute, Agulu, in Anaocha Local Government Area (LGA), took delivery of a new Joola Table Tennis board for exceptional performance in the table tennis event at the festival.

St. Anthony’s also got ASSDC-branded volleyball and basketball.

Rosa Mystica, Agulu, also in Anaocha LGA, received three ASSDC-branded footballs, two volleyballs, and one basketball.

Mr Onyedum said the gesture is in fulfillment of the promise by the Commission to support schools that did well at the festival with sports equipment and facilities.

He noted that the future of sports lies with the grassroots and that the reintroduced school sports have started yielding positive results, as seen in the performance of the Anambra team at the just-concluded National Youth Games in Asaba.

Mr Onyedum encouraged schools to take their inter-house sports seriously to keep them in shape for the 2024 state school sports festival while urging them to make good use of the equipment.

(NAN)