By Reporter
Bayelsa State recently dethroned Edo to place second behind Delta State in the recently concluded National Sports Festival, held in Delta State, South-South, Nigeria.
The final medal table published by the organisers, placed Delta as overall winner of the 21st edition of the National Sports Festival.
The host state had also won the past five editions of the Nigeria biggest sporting activity. The state amassed 668 medals, with 320 gold, 200 silver and 178 bronze to win the festival.
Bayelsa with a choreographed sporting program and good tutelage of the sports commissioner, Daniel Igali carted 132 gold, 115 silver and 90 bronze medals to place second.
For the first time in several years, Edo lost her traditional position to place a distant third, with 78 gold, 94 silver and 167 bronze medals.
Lagos came fifth with 41 gold, 57 silver and 74 bronze medals behind the fourth placed Oyo with 163 total medals, 50 gold, 51 silver and 62 bronze medals.
A total of Ten states did not win any medals at games, including Ekiti, Sokoto, Eboyi, Nasarawa, Kebbi, and Jigawa states.
The Minister of Youths and Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare announced Ogun State as winner of the bid to host the 2024 National Sports Festival. He said Oyo state that came second will be on standby should Ogun falters along the way. Dare commended the Delta State Government for hosting and hosting well.
However, the death of a 25 years old Imo State boxer, Chukwuemeka Igboanugo who was knocked out in a 81kg fight and later died in the hospital, the festival was a huge success.
The Special Assistant to the Delta State Governor on Sports, Sam Sodje has congratulated Delta State governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa on the success of the just concluded National Sports festival.
Sodje also gave a pat on the back to the Executive Chairman, Delta State Sports Commission, Tonobok Okowa.
Sodje noted that the success of Delta 2022 is a fall out of good planning on the part of everybody involved in the festival.
In his words…”The successful hosting of the festival is a clear evidence of good planning and the coordinated team work of all those that were involved in the the execution of this very important national project.