The 3rd Edo State Sports Festival rounded off yesterday Saturday 15 February 2020 with a traditional display of its highly rich cultural heritage in a colourful Closing Ceremony at the University of Benin Sports Complex in the presence of eminent personalities including all the 18 Local Government Chairmen, traditional rulers, and the Deputy Governor of Edo State Comrade Philip Shaibu and his lovely wife.
The Rugby events at the Festival also rounded off yesterday with the 15 – A – Side tournament in both male & female with six local government participating namely, Etsako Central, Owan West, Esan North East, Akoko Edo, and Etsako West respectively.
At the end of the championship, Etsako Central emerged the overall winners with 2 Gold Medals in Male 7’s, & 15’s events and 2 Bronze medal in 10’s male & 10’s female events respectively.
They were closely followed by Akoko Edo who also won 2 Gold medals in Female 7’s & 10’s and a Bronze medal in male 15’s event.
Owan West came third with 1 Gold medal in male 10’s event, 3 Silver in female 7’s, 10’s & male 15’s event respectively.
Egor came fourth with 1 Gold in female 15’s event.
Esan North East came fifth with 2 Silver in male 7’s & 10’s event.
Etsako West came sixth with 1 Silver in female 15’s and 1 Bronze medals in male 7’s event.
Meanwhile, the Match Officials Seminar / Clinic also kicked off on Friday 14 February with 12 States represented and 21participants in attendance including the Secretary General of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation Mr Victor Anusa. The Match Officials used the Rugby event for practicals sessions and will today retire into the theory sessions before rounding up.
This is in line with the directive from the Main Organising Committee that all the Federations should conduct its Match Officials / Referees Seminar / Course / Clinic before submitting names of its Technical Officials for the main 20th National Sports Festival tagged Edo 2020 with some financial assistance from the host state.
With the conclusion of this event, Edo State is now ready to host a hitch free event to the glory of God and the benefit of the teaming Nigerian youths come next month (20th March – 04 April 2020) in the Royal City of the Benin Kingdom of Edo State.
