2016 Paralympic Champion Lauritta Onye has appealed to the Ministry of Sports to do more for para-athletes, to ensure that they attend the forthcoming 2019 World Championship in Dubai, which serves as an Paralympic qualifier, after most missed out on the Championship in France.

“We’re pushing, but It’s not an easy thing. We’re looking for sponsors for the world championship that is coming in November, we are facing a lot of challenges,” Onye told brila.net.

“The last championship we participated in Tunisia was sponsored by our president and he’s not been refunded.”

The Shot put champion said having to deal with the recurring issue of sponsorship for tournaments is a big challenge and is a major distraction for an athlete who ought to be focused on winning medals for the country.

“It’s distracting, after training we still have to look for personal sponsor for the tournament.”

Meanwhile, She expressed her joy following her win at 2019 World Para Athletics Grand-Prix in Tunisia “with one gold medal in Javelin and two silver medals in Shot put for the three events, It’s a thing of joy and happiness, it wasn’t easy but I thank God I went there and I won.”