Team Surulere wins maiden edition of Beach Summer Games

Ten teams battled it out at the finale of the Beach Summer Games held on the 4^th of March to be the Champions of Lagos in 15 different sports at the Eko Atlantic City.

With 13 gold medals, 3 silver medals, and 2 bronze medals Team Surulere topped the table, while Team Ikeja came second with 4 gold medals, 5 silver medals, 2 bronze medals and not too far behind was team Lagos Island who also went home with some cash money for being third on the table with 2 gold medals, 4 silver medals and 7 bronze medals.

Each team had their strengths but the most fascinating of them is the skill and teamwork of Team Ikeja in the tug of war sport. They came to teach and showcase the roman skill of ‘owning’ the sport. The coordination was so aesthetic it had the spectators screaming in amusement. Not hiding behind the cliche of only having hefty men upfront and at the rear, it was interesting to see the young mother of six who always led the pack at every round of play.

According to the organizers, the event was an idea that has been nurtured to realization. With unrelenting planning and research they were able to host a sports competition, working with professionals in the game and have a successful event.

The speed sports starts and finish at a snap but sack race and wheelbarrow race had a different effect. However, there was always a different side to each sport. The 100m race was a far cry from the conventional 10 sec sport, it was on a 50m lane forth and back where you collect a tape from assigned cheerleaders before you can finish the race. Not forgetting the engaging sack race that showed the redundancy of long legs. Shorter athletes won all rounds of this race flawlessly. The heat and the finals were not short of surprises.

The show of strength at the beach summer games was unconventional, the sumo wrestling cannot be forgotten so fast because the costume is so remarkably hilarious giving equal advantage to all athletes. The Drag race saw athletes pull a 50kg barbell strapped on their shoulders across a 50m lane to the finish line.

Famous on air sports commentators, Sean Amadi and Murphy Ijemba thrilled the spectators and elated the athletes in a non-stop chitchat they are best known for.

One of the activations at the event was the ceremonial race between invited secondary schools that saw Air force secondary school emerge winner for both male and female 50m race, Awodi Ora senior secondary school and Iganmu senior secondary school came second and third respectively in both races, and were awarded there medals by the Managing Director of Discovery Brands Management, Mr. Uche Nwankwo. Other schools invited were Dowen College, St Gregory’s college, Ojoku senior high school, and Command day secondary school.

Invited dignitaries at the event are Mrs Haddad; Consul General of Lebanon who had the honor of presenting the 2017 Beach Summer Games Trophy to the winning team, Olympic Gold and Bronze Medalist, Enefiok Udo-Obong and Chioma Ajunwa Nigeria’s first Olympic Gold Medallists.

 

Anthony Nlebem