DEFENDING champions, Delta State are on course to retain the National Sports Festival title at the on-going 16th edition in Kaduna. As at the end of proceedings yesterday, Team Delta had won a total number of 56 gold medals. Chairman of the state's Sports Council, Amaju Pinnick said yesterday that Delta would get 30 more gold medals to surpass the 82 it won at the last edition in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
In 2006 when Ogun hosted the fiesta, Delta came tops with 82 gold, 60 silver and 97 bronze medals. Edo State, which came second, got 78 gold while the hosts, Ogun picked 70 gold to finish third.
As it was in 2006, so it seems headed in 2009 as Edo and Ogun are in hot pursuit of the defending champions in the race for the overall highest gold medal winner . As at yesterday evening, Ogun and Edo were neck-to-neck with nearly the same number of gold medals.
Team Ogun had 38 gold after winning gold in the squash team male event as well as the 20 metres walk men's event in which Dele Elegbede returned with a time of 1.45.16.98 seconds.
Edo State's Queensley Asedo captured the gold in the 20 metres walk event for women, returning a time of 1.59.38.25 seconds to take Edo's gold tally to 37.
Amaju said yesterday that Delta would come top at the end of the festival, noting that the two rival states (Edo and Ogun) had almost exhausted their areas of strenght.
However, he alleged that Edo State was employing a win-at-all-costs strategy at the festival. A bitter Amaju said that what Edo State is doing is capable of creating bad blood between athletes and officials of the two states.
"We are brothers from the old Bendel State and it is very wrong for Edo to be filing protests on every move we make. Everybody knows that Delta prepared far better than Edo for this sports festival. I have not said anything against Edo since the beginning of the festival and I have warned my athletes to avoid anything that would create bitterness between the two states," Amaju said.
Edo State Sports Commissioner, Anita Izegbu could not be reached for comment syesterday, as her Personal Assistant told The Guardian on phone that she was very busy attending to matters concerning athletes' welfare at the Murtala Mohammed Square.
Meanwhie, Delta maintained its leadership position in the Dart event with a total of four gold and two bronze medals.
The duo of Anthony Akanfe and Patricia John won two gold medals each. Edo State is trailing with two gold, three silver and two bronze medals through the effort of Christopher Amin who won two gold and one silver . He also set festival record by using eight arrows to win 301 singles event while Jite Onuyoh and Mike Nwabor won silver and bronze respectively.
In the third place is surprise team of the festival in the darts event, Benue whose impressive performance has so far fetched it two gold and two bronze medals while Nasarawa has two silver to place fourth as at press time.
In 2006 when Ogun hosted the fiesta, Delta came tops with 82 gold, 60 silver and 97 bronze medals. Edo State, which came second, got 78 gold while the hosts, Ogun picked 70 gold to finish third.
As it was in 2006, so it seems headed in 2009 as Edo and Ogun are in hot pursuit of the defending champions in the race for the overall highest gold medal winner . As at yesterday evening, Ogun and Edo were neck-to-neck with nearly the same number of gold medals.
Team Ogun had 38 gold after winning gold in the squash team male event as well as the 20 metres walk men's event in which Dele Elegbede returned with a time of 1.45.16.98 seconds.
Edo State's Queensley Asedo captured the gold in the 20 metres walk event for women, returning a time of 1.59.38.25 seconds to take Edo's gold tally to 37.
Amaju said yesterday that Delta would come top at the end of the festival, noting that the two rival states (Edo and Ogun) had almost exhausted their areas of strenght.
However, he alleged that Edo State was employing a win-at-all-costs strategy at the festival. A bitter Amaju said that what Edo State is doing is capable of creating bad blood between athletes and officials of the two states.
"We are brothers from the old Bendel State and it is very wrong for Edo to be filing protests on every move we make. Everybody knows that Delta prepared far better than Edo for this sports festival. I have not said anything against Edo since the beginning of the festival and I have warned my athletes to avoid anything that would create bitterness between the two states," Amaju said.
Edo State Sports Commissioner, Anita Izegbu could not be reached for comment syesterday, as her Personal Assistant told The Guardian on phone that she was very busy attending to matters concerning athletes' welfare at the Murtala Mohammed Square.
Meanwhie, Delta maintained its leadership position in the Dart event with a total of four gold and two bronze medals.
The duo of Anthony Akanfe and Patricia John won two gold medals each. Edo State is trailing with two gold, three silver and two bronze medals through the effort of Christopher Amin who won two gold and one silver . He also set festival record by using eight arrows to win 301 singles event while Jite Onuyoh and Mike Nwabor won silver and bronze respectively.
In the third place is surprise team of the festival in the darts event, Benue whose impressive performance has so far fetched it two gold and two bronze medals while Nasarawa has two silver to place fourth as at press time.
-Culled from The Nigerian Guardian
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