Team Bayelsa on Wednesday made a statement of intent in the ongoing zonal elimination in Uyo with sterling results from different sports after a shaky start in day one of the competition.
Bayelsa female football team booked a place in the Asaba 2022 with a 2-1 victory over Edo Ladies at the nest of champions training pitch to qualify for the Nigeria version of the Olympics games in November.
The male counterpart produced a five star performance with double victories against Rivers and host Akwa Ibom State. The Bayelsa side in the first match of the day trounced neighbours Rivers State 4-0 to secure six points having defeated Edo 1-0 in the opening fixture.
In the second fixture of the day resilient and determine Bayelsa team ease out host Akwa Ibom 3-2 as Godswill Kutu popularly known as Gele scored a hattrick. Bayelsa will face Cross River in the final game that looks purely academical.
However, it was a bad day for the volleyball team as Agustine Odumo’s team narrowly lost 3-2 to Rivers State, 25-21, 18-25, 26-24 and 15-12 in a game decided at the West Itam Secondary School Sports Complex.
Bayelsa male basketball team came back from their disappointing outing in day one to beat Cross Rivers 68-65. The team will be hoping to beat Rivers State who had already qualified.
Bayelsa female basketball team showed class as they whitewashed Cross River State 57-18.
In Baseball Bayelsa team beat Akwa Ibom 8-2 same in Softball 14 -2 against host state Akwa Ibom. The victory means that both teams have now qualifed having won two games.
Action returns tomorrow morning in volleyball as Bayelsa takes on Akwa Ibom, a win for the Yenagoa side will see them through to the National Sports Festival, while in Hockey, Bayelsa will lock horns with Rivers and later battle Edo State.
Accessing the performance of the team after day two Director of Sports Bayelsa State Sports Council Sir Braveman Wodi, said he was impressed with the performance of the athletes, pointing out that he is optimistic of having six sports out of the seven sports that came for the eliminations.
Sir Wodi explained that he was desirous to see Bayelsa qualify in all the sports to compliment government efforts towards the sports sector.
He noted that the state would consolidate on the achievements of the 20th National Sports Festival in Benin City by finishing beyond third place, noting that it is achievable.
