The victorious athletics team to the recently concluded National MTN CHAMPS/MOC/AFN championship in Benin City, Edo State has presented the overall best team trophy won by the team to the Bayelsa State Director of Sports,Sir Braveman Wodi.

The team, led by the Vice Chairman of the Bayelsa State Athletics Association, Dr. Kolawole Oredipe, captain, David Michael, coaches and officials of the Association made the presentation at his office in Yenagoa.

Presenting the victorious Team Bayelsa, Dr. Oredipe, said the feat was as a result of hard work and dedication on the part of the athletes and coaches.

He appreciated the Director of Sports, Sir. Wodi and Commissioner for Sports Development, Dr. Daniel Igali for their continued support and approvals in ensuring that the athletes participated at the event.

Dr. Oredipe who is also the founder of SAMKAY Athletics Club, said the event served as a good preparation for the athletes ahead of the Niger Delta Sports Festival holding next month in Uyo and the National Sports Festival in Abeokuta, Ogun State in May.

Responding, the Director of Sports, Sir. Braveman Wodi, who was elated, said the Sports Council and the ministry will continue to invest in athletics and the athletes to achieve set goals.

Sir. Wodi commended Dr. Oredipe who was leader of the delegation to Benin, for his vision, dedication, and investment in athletics, which he noted is yielding positive results.

He charged the athletes not to rest on their oars, calling on them to improve on their performance and replicate the dominance at the National Sports Festival.

The Director of Sports also appreciated the coaching crew for working tirelessly and putting the athletes in the right shape for the MTN Champs where they emerged overall best.

By David Owei, Bayelsa

Team Bayelsa impressed at the Season 3 of the national athletics MTN CHAMPS, held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, winning the overall best position with a total of 15 medals, 7 gold, 3 silver and 5 bronze medals.

Sophia Efetobore was the star of the three day event, winning three gold medals in the 100m and 200m women senior as well as 4×100 metres relay.

Also, 13 year old Ebimoboere Chistopher of SAMKAY Athletics Academy, Yenagoa won 2 gold medals in the cadet under 14 category, in 100metres with a personal best of 12:95 seconds and 200metres with a time of 27.05 seconds.

In the Under 20 junior category, Samson Tebowei of SAMKAY Athletics placed second in the 800m to win silver setting a personal best time of 1:59:97 seconds.

The quartet of Perezide, Sophia, Taye and Sarah won gold in the 4x100meters relay for senior girls, just as David Michael, Bright Benson, Shalom George and Akwanga also won gold in 4×100 meters senior men relay.

Bright Benson clinched silver in the 400m Senior men, while Lucky Daje was in blistering form, winning the 200m Gold Senior men with a time of 21:09 seconds and bronze in the 100meters, and Austin Ezeruike made away with the bronze medal in the 200 metres.

In the under 20 female junior category, Perezide Sigah of SAMKAY clinched silver in 200 metres, while team Bayelsa also won silver in the 4X 400m mixed relay.

Christian Dickson won bronze in both 110 and 400 metres hurdles, while Sarah Lori also settled for bronze in the 400 meter senior for girls.

A number of young athletes ran their Personal Best including Faye Perfect who made it to the 200 metres final with a new time of 21:95 secs and Tokoni Itu who ran a personal best of 11:58 seconds in the under 17 category in 100 meters.

Vice Chairman of Bayelsa Athletics Association and founder SAMKAY Athletics Club, Dr kolawale Oredipe, who commended the performance of team Bayelsa, said the event was a test run for the state contingent ahead of the Niger Delta Sports Festival holding next month in Uyo and National Sports Festival scheduled for May, 2025.

By David Owei, Bayelsa

The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Sports Development, Dr Daniel Igali, has called on the National Sports Commission and the Main Organising Committee of the National Sports Festival in Ogun State to include traditional wrestling known as “Kuwa” and Canoeing as part of the events for the festival.

Igali made the call when he received Bayelsa athletes who represented Nigeria at the recently-concluded 13th ECOWAS African Wrestling Tournament at the Velodrome of the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja which was part of activities lined up to celebrate ECOWAS’ 50th anniversary.

He  commended the Bayelsa athletes for yet again, making the country proud after Ebi Biogos 76K and Ebipadei Mughabofa 66K won gold each for Team Nigeria while combining with their teammates to win two silver medals in team events.

The commissioner who heaped praises on Nigeria’s abundant talents in every sport called on the National Sports Commission being led by proven sports administrators, Shehu Dikko

and Bukola Olopade to consider including traditional wrestling and canoeing in the events to be competed for, at the Sports Festival coming up in Ogun State.

According to Igali, traditional wrestling is one of the local sports in the country and Africa that connects our cultural heritage. Thus, it deserves to be part of the events for the Nigerian version of the Olympic Games.

Also, the world and Olympic wrestling champion expressed shock at canoeing being excluded from the festival despite successively qualifying for the last two editions of the Olympics.

He described canoeing as one of the potential sports that can win Nigeria medals at the Olympics if properly encouraged and invested in.

While formally receiving the athletes Igali said “On behalf of the Bayelsa State Government, I receive you all with pride, celebrating what you have done. This shows clearly the focus of sports development in Bayelsa.”

“Arising from that, it is a bit of an irony that Nigeria has hosted the whole of West Africa in traditional wrestling, and we don’t have it at the next sports festival in Ogun State. My appeal to the National Sports Commission is that this is one cultural event that is relatable to virtually every culture and tribe in Nigeria,” Igali said.

“Let me also use this opportunity to mention another sport canoeing, this is one sport that Nigeria has a good opportunity to win a medal at the next Olympics if we plan very early. Over the pa8st Olympics, it has qualified athletes who have done very well and need to be encouraged by harnessing its potentials” Igali maintained.

He concluded by appreciating the Bayelsa State Government led by Senator Douye Diri for massively encouraging sports development through approval of funds to execute its programmes.

Meanwhile, the Director of Sports Bayelsa State Sports Council, Sir Braveman Wodi, who is the overseer and direct principal of the wrestlers, applauded them for representing the state and being good ambassadors of the Ijaw Nation.

Braveman noted that their triumph speaks volumes of the developmental policies of the Prosperity administration of Governor Douye Diri and his deputy Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.