About 200 students and 35 officials will represent Niger State at the 2013 National Schools Sports Festival set to commence tomorrow in Ilorin, Kwara State.

The contingent will participate in 14 events that include table tennis, football, weightlifting, judo and taekwondo.

Commissioner for Education, Mallam Danladi Abdulhameed, who spoke through the Director of Administration, Alhaji Yusuf Yakubu Paiko, at the athletes' departure ceremony in Minna, said the students ranged between ages 13 and 17.

"I'm optimistic that in view of the adequate preparation put in place by the state, the team would perform better than in the last outing Calabar," Abdulhameed said, while urging the students to be disciplined by adhering to rules and regulations of the event.

Director of Sports, Mallam Abdullahi Mumuni Danlami stated that the festival was initially billed to take place in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, but was later taken to Ilorin.

"The 200 athletes were pruned from the initial 2, 000 that were camped," he added.