Joel Ajayi
Delta State’s dominance in sports don’t seem to be over as it once again emerged as the winner of the 22nd National Sports Festival tagged Gateway Games in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The South-South State emerged champions after carting home 109 gold medals with 75 and 87 silver and bronze medals respectively to get a total of 271 out of 1721 overall medals won.
On the other hand, Bayelsa, another Niger- Deltan State, which came second in the last edition in 2022 in Asaba, Delta State came a far distance second position with 80, 54, 59 gold, silver and bronze medals respectively to get a total of 193. Recalled that Bayelsa won the recently-concluded Nigeria Delta Games in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State.
The host State, Ogun came third with 69, 52 and 62 totalling 187 medals. This is the best-ever recorded by the Gateway State which is hosting the Festival for the second time, first being in 2006.
The fourth, fifth, sixth teams are Rivers, Edo, Oyo, while Lagos, FCT, Osun and Abia complete the first 10 teams on the medal table.
Meanwhile, some states have not recorded any gold medals at the Games which is climaxing today. The States are mainly from the north and they are: Benue, Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Adamawa, Sokoto, Taraba, Kebbi, Kogi and Zamfara States.
The next host, Enugu only recorded one gold medal with seven silver and six bronze medals, totalling 14 medals.
Recalled that since the return to democracy in 1999, Delta has won the National Sports Festival eight times in ten appearances. The next National Sports Festival will come up in 2026 in Enugu State.
