Sports
NSF: Delay In Updating Medal Table Frustrates Journalists
With over 500 medals up for grabs at the ongoing 21st National Sports Festival, there is a need for a regularly updated medal table, but that has not been the case at the championship in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
As at Day 3 of the festival, there was no table for journalists to back up their reports and the fans, who have been yearning to know how their states have fared.
From the fourth day, a medals table began to circulate, but different states contingents complained about the table, saying it wasn’t updated to reflect their medal haul.
On Sunday, the 5pm table was shared to the National Sports Festival media platform at 10:22pm.
“It’s unfortunate that we have no idea of the medal table The Tidesports source a reports.
“Yes, I know that it can be sometimes late before the table is out because of some events that may be held late, but by now we should have seen something. The table I saw on Tuesday is the one of yesterday (Monday) and we have seen more athletes win more medals.”
The absence of a working collation centre caused the delay in releasing the updated medals table.
“There is no way we can see all the results from one place, except there is a collation centre, but unfortunately the collation centre is not functioning at the moment. They need to work on that, they are a little bit slow and thus not giving the journalists the statistics to effectively do their jobs and give the right information to the public.”
Another journalist, Faith Omozokpia, who works for Titan Sports, added, “I’m not very pleased with the fact that the medals table has not been regularly updated since the event started. We are having little hitches in our reports because of this.
When our correspondent visited the office of the Secretary of Games Services, Austin Balewa, at 9am on Monday, he shed light on what caused the delay in releasing the medals table.
“After we receive the results of the events, we have to tally them. The chairman of the festival will have to sign them, so if we cannot reach the chairman to sign off on the late games, as he might have closed for the day, those results will not be put into the medal table. This is because without his authentication, those results will not be valid.
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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