How athletics seized show at Niger Delta Games

The just concluded Niger Delta Games in Benin City, the Edo State capital, provided ample opportunity for Nigeria athletics to show what the future holds for the country’s track and field.

Host Edo State won the second edition of the regional games with 52 gold medals.

Without a doubt, what will dominate discussions for a long time is the athletics events, most especially the exhilarating performances on the final day of the contest.

Delta State dominated the competition in Benin City in the face of the strong challenge from Edo, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.

Delta State athletes won 13 gold medals mostly from the sprints and relays, Edo had its success in the field events, while Akwa Ibom and Cross River shared between them the medals in middle and long distance races.

“Nobody can take it from Delta State in athletics, they have a very good structure that produces quality athletes every year,” said Mutiu Oluwa, Edo State Athletics coach.

Just before the closing ceremony, Delta State left no one in doubt that they are untouchable by winning three out of the four relay gold medals at stake.

However, Akwa Ibom State by winning the men’s 4x400m, stopped Delta State from making a clean sweep on the final day.

“The athletes gave it everything that they had, because everyone wanted to make a statement.

“This is good for Nigeria athletics. Looking at the quality of the contest and running talents, the competition was very encouraging.

“This is just the start and I believe with many more to come, this country can boast of many athletes in the near future,” said former Nigeria former sprint champion Seun Ogunkoya.

Some of the star athletes that kept the spectators spellbound include Ejiro Peters who won a sprint double in the women’s 100m and 200m. She also won gold in the 4x100m.

Osama Chibueze also repeated the same for Delta State by winning a sprint double and the 4x100m.

In the 400m David Udoh of Cross River State. crashed into Delta’s party, by taking the men’s 400m, and he also contributed to Cross River State taking the men’s 4x400m gold.

Treasure Okereke had earlier won the women’s gold and also helped Delta State to win the women’s 4x400m.

Akwa Ibom’s Hephzibah Okon was quite a sensation in the women’s 800m but her quest for a double was checkmated by Cross River’s Godsmind Eteng in the 1500m.

Treasure Omosivwe was practically competing with herself in the women’s high jump as she was able to match her personal best of 1.75m to win the gold for Edo State.

Chairman of the organising committee, Sir Itiako Ikpokpo, who is also Delta State Athletics Association chairman, was on hand to coordinate with the technical committee led by Enefiok Odo-Obong to ensure a smooth running of the athletics events.

Ikpokpo said that the Games’ Scouting and Mentorship Committee had monitored the events at all the venues and is expected to come up with recommendations on the next steps.

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