Sports
BYSG Lauds Team Nigeria’s AWC Feat
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has congratulated Team Nigeria for their feat at the just-concluded African Senior, Junior and Cadet Wrestling Championships in Hammamet, Tunisia.
Nigeria came tops at the tournament, winning six gold and four silver medals in the senior category, two gold in the junior category and one gold in beach wrestling.
The team also won three silver and two bronze medals in different categories, as well as clinching the African senior female team title for an unprecedented 12th time.
Olympic silver medalist, Blessing Oborududu, won gold in the 68kg category to emerge 12-time African champion.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, and made available to Tidesports yesterday Diri noted that the team, which had 10 young Bayelsa wrestlers, made the state and the country proud at the championships. He said their performance was a positive manifestation of his administration’s relentless investment in sports and youths of the state.
Diri also stated that his government’s passion to develop the potential of Bayelsa youths through skills acquisition and other human capacity building initiatives had changed the narrative about Bayelsa in the last three years and counting. He urged the youths not to rest on their laurels and continue to do the state and Nigeria proud.
Giving a breakdown of the team’s performance, the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Sports, Daniel Igali, who doubles as President, Nigeria Wrestling Federation, said Governor Diri funded and supported 10 of the 18 wrestlers to the tournament.
Igali explained that Bayelsa wrestlers in the team won three senior gold medals, two junior gold medals, and one beach wrestling gold medal in addition to three senior silver and two senior bronze medals.
He said: “The Bayelsa State government sponsored and supported 10 Bayelsans to this tournament. I acknowledge and appreciate governor Douye Diri for his support to the Nigeria national wrestling team. Without his support, we would not have got these results.
“His penchant for grooming and supporting Bayelsa athletes is manifesting not only in our exploits nationally but also continentally as evidenced by the exploits of our wrestlers at the recently concluded 2023 Senior, Junior and Cadet African Championships in Hammamet, Tunisia.”
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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