Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has described the inaugural Abia State Southeast Opening Weightlifting Championship as an important step towards discovering and developing young sporting talents in the state and the South-East.

Otti spoke in Umuahia on Thursday while flagging off the maiden edition of the championship, which he said goes beyond competition and medals to provide young athletes with an opportunity to develop their abilities.

Represented at the event by the Commissioner for Sports, Sir Ananaba Nwobilor, the governor said the competition was designed to identify emerging talents who could eventually represent Abia, the South-East and Nigeria at major competitions.

“It is more than a sports competition. It is a deliberate investment in our young people, an opportunity to discover new talents and a platform to nurture athletes who can represent Abia State in the Southeast and Nigeria and the international competitions,” Otti said.

The governor noted that weightlifting requires discipline, physical strength, courage, determination and mental resilience, qualities he said were also important in developing young people beyond the sporting arena.

He said successful performances in weightlifting were built on preparation, sacrifice, consistency and confidence, adding that the government wanted to encourage these attributes among youths in the state.

Otti further said sports should not be viewed solely through the pursuit of medals and trophies, but also as a means of identifying potential, building character, creating opportunities and preparing young people for productive roles in society.

He reaffirmed the Abia State Government's commitment to supporting structured sporting programmes that would enable young people to train, compete and develop their abilities.

According to the governor, talent discovery should be followed by proper training and competition, with the ultimate goal of creating opportunities for athletes to progress to national and international levels.

The National Chairman of the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, Emmanuel Oshomah, commended Abia State for hosting the championship, describing it as the first of its kind in the South-East zone.

South-East Zonal Coordinator of the federation, Bernard Ezema, also expressed optimism about the determination displayed by the participating athletes and their prospects of producing strong performances.

Ezema praised Otti's support for sports development in the state, saying the governor had demonstrated commitment to the sector.

He also commended the governor for providing weightlifting equipment valued at more than N20 million for the state.