Hananeel Jackson
It was an eventful day for team Bayelsa at the ongoing National Sports Festival in Asaba Delta State tagged Delta 2022 as the medal count continued in different events.
Swimming, Canoeing and Kayak as well as Kungfu headlined the sports with the highest number of medals for Team Bayelsa after day four of Nigeria’s version of the Olympics Games.
Swimming produced four gold, two silver in freestyle, 200 metres and 200 metres relay with a Bayelsa swimmer Collins Obi setting a new 200 metres record 1.57 sec in the National Sports Festival.
Ada Nwandu clinched gold and silver in 50 metres freestyle and backstroke, same with Doutimi Gagbe increasing the number of medals for Bayelsa.
Canoeing and Kayak gave Bayelsa another outstanding performance with four gold, four silver and a bronze, while Kungfu recorded two gold, one silver, five bronze medals, as athletics events commenced with Team Bayelsa announcing their participation with a gold in 20km women walk race.
Ifeoluwa Ajayi continued the gold rush for Bayelsa in Taekwondo 68kg male just as Chess blitz event male recorded bronze, Kigigha Bomo and Perpetual Obgiyoyo did same in shooting and won bronze.
Earlier, the Bayelsa male football team trounced Kaduna 4-1 at the JJ Okocha stadium at Ogwashi- Ukwu to set up a semi final tie with Katisna State while the Basketball female team pummeled team Imo 63-24 having lost the opening fixture to hosts, Delta State.
Bayelsa are now on 66 medals comprising 22 gold, 18 silver and 26 bronze medals as of Sunday Eve as action resume on Monday in many events.
In an interview, Para swimming head coach, Africa Angalabiri exuded confidence that team Bayelsa would finish among top States in the medals table at the showpiece.
Star swimming sisters, Ifiezibe Gagbe and Doutimi Gagbe expressed joy over the performance of the team, saying that they are in Asaba to surpass the Edo 2020 record where Bayelsa finished third in the overall medals table.
Assessing the performance of the team, an elated Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Daniel Igali noted that the podium finish is achievable for Bayelsa, stressing that the sports culture in the state is yielding results.
Igali commended the athletes for their dexterity and commitment so far in the fiesta, charging them to maintain the tempo.
