Sports
DG Donates Sports Kits To Bayelsa Athletics Team
In a bit to complement government efforts in sports development, the Director News media to the Governor of Bayelsa State, Kola Oredipe, has presented tra-ining kits to Bayelsa State athletics team for the forthcoming National Sports Festival in Edo State.
Items donated include spike shoes, running vest and other training kits.
While presenting the kits to the coach and athletes at the main bowl of the Samson Siasia Sports Complex in Yenagoa, Oredipe said the gesture was his own way to support and encourage the young athletes to return home with medals from the festival.
The Governor’s Media aide, who recalled his days on the tartan tracks as an athlete, encouraged the young talents to put in their best by making the State proud at the tournament.
“I was just like you from my secondary school days and all through my University days. I was a quarter mile and represented my University in two NUGA games in Bayero University, Kano in 1997 and University of Lagos in 1998. This is my own way of giving back and encouraging young talents to excel in sports”, Oredipe stated.
He commended Governor Douye Diri, who was a onetime Commissioner for Sports and Youth, for his investment in the sports sector and charged the athletes to reciprocate government’s gesture by bringing laurels to the state.
Receiving the kits, the Head Coach of the athletics department in Bayelsa State Sports Council, Mr Maurice Terimoh, thanked the Director News Media to the Governor, for the kind gesture and assured that the kits would be used judiciously.
Terimoh, further said that, as a champion that Oredipe is, the athletics team will use the kits and produce more champions, and prayed God to replenish him.
The Bayelsa State government, yesterday, announced that the marathon will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The inaugural race is owned by the Bayelsa State Government and will be organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, a sports management company.
Under the theme “The Reveal,” the race represents a bold unveiling of Bayelsa’s immense human and cultural potential to the international community, inviting the world to witness the resilience, grit, and talent rooted in the heart of the Niger Delta.
According to the organisers, the race will be flagged off at 9:30 a.m., at the Opolo Roundabout, guiding participants through a carefully designed 10-kilometre route that highlights the scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere of Yenagoa.
The course will culminate at Peace Park Square, where athletes will cross the finish line into a grand celebration of endurance, unity, and community spirit.
To elevate the experience for runners and spectators alike, the finish venue will host a high-energy post-race concert featuring performances from top A-list artistes, blending sport and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere.
The organisers directed all registered participants to collect their race bibs and kits at the designated Peace Park Square between March 30 and April 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The race, according to them, is currently on track for World Athletics accreditation, underscoring the commitment of both the Bayelsa State Government and Nilayo Sports Management Limited to delivering an event that meets the highest global standards.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Friday continued the Commission’s nationwide appreciation tour with a visit to Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola, was presented with a cheque of N3 million.
The presentation forms part of the NSC’s initiative to recognise and reward exceptional junior athletes who distinguished themselves in 2025 and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s medal haul.
Majekodunmi delivered an impressive run of performances on the track. At the last edition of the National Sports Festival, she stormed to gold in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She replicated the double triumph at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship, in Abeokuta, before emerging as one of the standout stars at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking during the presentation, Olopade explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to extend financial appreciation to grassroots athletes after elite performers had earlier received grants running into thousands of dollars.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed tthere was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” he said.
He disclosed that of the 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by grassroots talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.
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