From Rhoda Godwin Yenagoa
Bayelsa State will, on Saturday, join other sports commissions in the country to celebrate this year’s Olympic Day, after it was postponed by a week.
The celebration, which was initially scheduled for Saturday, June 27, will now be held on Saturday, July 4. The shift was to afford all participating states sufficient time to organise local celebrations on a date that will be free from conflicting commitments and logistical constraints.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Director of Sports Bayelsa State Sports Council, Mr Bibowei Lambert, ahead of the much-anticipated 2026 Olympic Day in Yenagoa.
According to him, there will be two take-off points, Ekeki Park and St Judes Girls’ Secondary School, Amarata, and the event will commence at 6:30am at the Ekeki Park, with both Ekeki and Amarata starting points terminating at the Samson Siasia Stadium, before other activities.
The statement noted that the theme of this year’s celebration is ‘You can do this. Let’s move,’ pointing out that the day reflects the importance of sports and core values of sporting excellence among athletes and administrators in the country.
Lambert stated that the Olympic Day is an annual global event organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to promote mass participation in physical activity on a non-competitive basis, and to raise public awareness of sports as a tool for healthy, active living.
“We have always strived to achieve the best, and this year, we are optimistic that the event will be an exceptional celebration because it’s a sports festival year, our own version of the Olympics,” Lambert stated.
He noted that the Olympic Day celebration encourages the entire world to be actively engaged in one movement or activity as it can only be beneficial to the good health of the people, maintaining that the day gives room for the Olympic spirit which unites the country, despite the diverse tongues, culture, and sporting excellence.
Lambert urged Bayelsans, stakeholders, and sports enthusiasts in the state to be part of the event, adding that Olympic Day has consistently cultivated connections and solidarity.