Edo 2020: Team Rivers Hauls More Medals, Places 4th

Just as perennial winners, Delta State and hosts, Edo State are engaged in fierce battle for the top spot at the ongoing 20th National Sports Festival, Edo 2020, Team Rivers has begun a steady haul of medals to perch on the fourth position as at press time after an eventful weekend. As at close of competition on Saturday, Team Delta led the medals table with 54 gold, 42 silver and 43 bronze medals, Edo State follows them closely with 49 gold, 52 silver and 43 bronze medals, while Bayelsa placed third with a total of 26 gold, 22 silver and 24 bronze.
Team Rivers garnered a total of 47 medals, 11 gold, 13 silver and 23 bronze, while Lagos was fifth with eight gold, 11 silver and 22 bronze medals. The team’s outstanding winners of the weekend include Stella Kingsley, who dominated the women’s 49 kg weightlifting category. She claimed all the gold available (3) with a record performance of 74 kg in Snatch (gold), 105 kg, Clean and Jerk (gold) and Total of 179kg (gold).
Kingsley, who finished in fourth position at the last festival in 2018 was full of gratitude to God and looked forward to qualifying for the Olympics. Her male counterpart, Paul Philip, was not so lucky as he placed fourth in his 55kg category to miss out on a medal.
In Scrabble, Nsikak Etim added another gold (Masters Double) to the team’s kitty after a previous golden performance, while 55 year old Sunny Oshodi also won gold.
It was equally a golden performance on the tracks by Team Rivers’ Grace Ayemoba in 100m hurdles, women. Ayemoba covered the distance in 13.65 seconds to win gold, beating miracle Thompson of Lagos, 13.75 seconds and Oluwakemi Francis of Delta, 14.01 seconds to silver and bronze medals, respectively. Her male counterpart, Peculiar, failed to make a mark in the 400m hurdles, finishing sixth in his race.
Yesterday, the team added more medals to its kitty with the Beach Volleyball Team outclassing their opponents from Imo state in two sets, 21-16, 21-16 at the Ihogbe College venue. Kemi Oluwasegun also secured gold in tennis with three sets victory over Team Delta’s Omisore.
There were two more gold medals in the special sports field event with Elekwachi Chinwe winning gold in Long Jump (Deaf) and Chioma Enomuo also winning gold in women’s Javelin event.
It was a kind of disappointment for the team in the men’s high jump event where Michael Edwards of BigBrother Naija 2018 fame was a potential gold medalist. He somewhat had to settle for bronze in the event after David Ayah of Team Delta claimed gold with a leap of 2.15 metres, yesterday.
Other events where the team has recorded some disappointments were in swimming where despite the state’s antecedents, the pool was not a favourable hunting ground for medals. Also, Kickboxing (Men)was unable to fetch a gold medal rather, returning a total of four silver an two bronze medals.

By: Gabriel Nwanetanya