Former Athletics Federation of Nigeria board member, Adeyemi Philips has said that the hosts, Lagos will be eclipsed by Edo, Delta and Rivers States in the track and field events of the National Sports Festival tagged Eko 2012.

The University of Lagos Physical and Health Education don stated that Lagos does not have quality athletes compared to Delta, Edo and Rivers.

"Delta, Edo, and Rivers are the top contenders for the athletics medals, they have top quality athletes. Lagos will find it hard during the competition," said Dr. Philips.

However, he argued that the National Sports Festival shouldn't be about who tops the medals table, but it should be about how many talents that could be discovered and trained to become world champions.

"The overriding joy will be how many fresh talents we can discover and then be groomed to become world stars.

"This thing about athletes moving from one state to the other when it is time for the sports festival, should be a thing of the past. What we want to see are States presenting young and enterprising athletes.

This is the only way Nigeria can produce quality athletes at the international level, the sports festival should be a breeding ground," he stressed.