Oyo Archery boss, Seyi Alaba hails team’s medal haul at Lagos International Open

Chairman of the Oyo State Archery Association, Mr Seyi Alaba, has praised the state’s archery team for its impressive performance at the recently concluded Zen Archery Lagos International Open Tournament 3.0.

The Oyo contingent, represented by the Kingsmen Archery Team, won six medals comprising three gold and three silver medals in the fiercely contested 30-metre Barebow category.
The tournament attracted top archers from across Africa, including competitors from Chad, Zimbabwe, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and several leading Nigerian clubs. Despite the stiff competition, the Kingsmen Archery Team emerged as one of the most successful teams at the event.
Speaking during a reception organised in honour of the athletes at Agodi Gardens, Ibadan, on Wednesday, Alaba commended the team’s dedication and resilience, describing the achievement as a clear indication that the state’s investment in archery was yielding positive results.
According to him, the success recorded at the tournament reflects the hard work of the athletes, coaches and administrators who have remained committed to the development of the sport in Oyo State.
“Every medal won here represents countless hours of training, teamwork and support from coaches, administrators and fellow athletes,” Alaba said.
“We are building a culture of excellence, and these achievements show that we are moving in the right direction.”
Alaba reaffirmed the association’s commitment to providing the necessary support and opportunities for athletes to continue excelling at national and international competitions.
Also speaking, Vice Chairman 1 of the association, Mr yomi Abayomi Davis acknowledged the financial demands of the sport but said the investment had yielded positive results.
“When we started a few years ago, archery was already an expensive sport, and the cost of equipment has increased significantly since then. However, the investment has been worth it,” he said.
Olusegun also commended Alaba for his support and dedication to the growth of archery in the state.
Team captain for the tournament, Adetola Daniel described the outing as a rewarding experience, noting that the team underwent rigorous preparations before the tournament.
He added that the tournament provided valuable exposure, especially for members of the team competing at that level for the first time.
Vice Chairman 2, Mr. Ayoade Olusegun, said the game is growing and gaining more attention for the government locally.