Delta Overtakes Bayelsa To Top Sports Festival Table With 34 Gold
Defending champions Team Delta have overtaken Team Bayelsa to top the National Sports Festival table after the end of activities on Day 6 in Abeokuta.
Delta State has won 34 gold, 12 silver, and 28 bronze medals, making it a total of 74 medals, while Bayelsa moved down to the second position with 32 gold, 14 silver and 15 bronze medals for a total of 61 medals.
Team Rivers is in third with 15 gold, 12 silver and 13 bronze medals, followed by the hosts, Team Ogun, in fourth with 11 gold, 14 silver and 17 bronze medals, making it a total of 42 medals.
A total of 495 medals have been won in various sports at the 2024 National Sports Festival in Ogun State.
Meanwhile, Kate Otiti Esugo of Team Delta won a gold medal in the women’s 10m air rifle with 211.0 points, a new national record.
Team Rivers’ Zinna Aitsle finished second to win the silver medal with 210.6 points.
Team Ogun’s Fatima Emmanuel won the bronze medal with 186.0 points.
Ogun State’s Taiwo Ogunbanwo won a gold medal in the men’s 10m air rifle in shooting, while Esugo Okposo grabbed the silver medal in the men’s 10m air rifle.
In football, Team Ogun defeated Team Delta 2-1 to qualify for the semi-final of the football event at the 2024 National Sports Festival on Friday.
Jabbar Malik and Musa Abdullahi scored for the hosts to set up a semi-final clash with Team Kaduna.
Team Kaduna defeated Team Lagos 5-4 on penalties after playing out a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
Team Kwara edged Team Imo 2-0 to set up a semi-final encounter with the Golden Eaglets.
The Golden Eaglets spanked Team Ebonyi 5-0 in the last eight encounters.
Meanwhile, In Cycling, 17-year-old Team Edo cyclist, Osaretin Godwin, caused a major upset when she defeated Nigeria’s first cycling Olympian, Ese Ukpeseraye, in the women’s 200m sprint final to win the gold medal.
Godwin was delighted to win her first-ever gold medal in the National Sports Festival.
She said, “I am very happy that I have finally achieved my dream of winning a gold medal at the National Sports Festival, which is meant for elite athletes. I give all glory to God.”
Similarly, Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, has showered praises on the teenager for making the state proud.
He said, “We all know Ukpeseraye has been prolific over the years, winning this title at two consecutive National Sports Festivals held in 2020 and 2022, hosted by Edo and Delta, respectively,” Enabulele stated.
“However, in a twist of events, our very own Osaretin emerged from nowhere to defeat the reigning champion twice, denying her the chance to defend her 200m gold medal.”
“Although Team Edo has been winning gold medals since the commencement of the festival, this particular one is significant because the gold medallist is a teenager. Her victory will serve as motivation for other athletes.”
“We are delighted that a junior athlete can now compete favourably with elite athletes of Olympian standard and defeat them. Indeed, this is the hallmark of true sports development.”
Delta Overtakes Bayelsa To Top Sports Festival Table With 34 Gold is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
