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Team Edo's stellar outing at Gateway Games clear evidence of Governor Okpebholo’s love for sports - Honourable Enabulele

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye


...Team Edo to begin early preparation ahead of 2026 Festival - Director, Sports Development and Operations, Sabina Chikere
By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye who was in Abeokuta for the 22nd National Sports Festival
  
  
  
The Executive Chairman of Edo State Sports Commission, Honourable Desmond Amadin Enabulele, on Wednesday stated that Team Edo sensational outing at the just concluded National Sports Festival, tagged Gateway Games, is undeniable evidence of the unwavering support of the Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo to sports in the state.

Honourable Desmond Amadin Enabulele, explained that Governor Okpebholo’s sports vision centers on identifying, nurturing, and exposing young talents to national and global competitions.

Honourable Enabulele made this public in a press statement made available to your authoritative and award-winning news channel, FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG adding that Governor Okpebholo's vision bore fruit at the National Sports Festival.

He went on to highlight areas that athletes from the Heartbeat of the Nation excelled at, stating that Team Edo distinguished itself through sheer grit, resilience, and undeniable sporting excellence, culminating in a massive haul of 302 medals.

Honourable Enabulele stated that 17-year-old Osaretin Godwin, made the State and Governor proud, as she by dethroning Nigeria’s first female Olympic cyclist, Ese Ukpeseraye, to win gold in cycling, setting a new festival record.

Teenage sensation, Lorelay Holzendorf, announced her arrival on the national stage in Tennis by helping Edo secure two silver medals in her debut appearance.

Adding her voice in praise of Governor Monday Okpebholo's administration, is the Executive Director, Sports Development and Operations, Edo State, Sabina Chikere.

She stated that the backing Team Edo received from the Governor, energised the Team, giving them the needed boost to push harder, knowing that their efforts were being noticed.

“I'm happy, the outing was good, we went into the competition with full zeal and support from the Edo State Government under the leadership of Governor Monday Okpebholo, and it paid off at the end of the day,” Mrs. Sabina Chikere emphasized.

Mrs. Chikere went on to state that due to the support from the Edo State Government the State' contingent will begin early preparation ahead of the 2026 National Sports Festival, scheduled to take place in Enugu State.

“Edo State is the home of sports and we want to keep it that way, we are going to start as early as possible, we are going to start training because 2026 is just by the corner,” she said.

She added that there were glitches by the organisers of the Gateway Games.
 
“The Closing Ceremony was ongoing and they were awarding 1st position to the winners while events were still going on. Team Edo athletes were competing in kickboxing at Baptist High School late into the night finishing by 11pm, while the closing Ceremony took place at the MKO Abiola Stadium,” Mrs. Chikere noted.
 
The State Sports Director called on the hosts of the 23rd National Sports Festival, the Enugu State Government, through the Enugu State Sports Commission to avoid these pitfalls for a successful Festival. 

“I think they need to improve more especially the next hosts, Enugu State, they need to look at the flaws that happened in Ogun State here, in terms of accommodation and transportation, so that Enugu 2026 will be fantastic,” she concluded.

A look at the medal breakdown shows that kickboxing was the gold mine for Team Edo, producing 27 medals, 20 gold, 3 silver, and 4 bronze medals, while Gymnastics brought in 23 medals, 12 gold, 7 silver, and 4 bronze.

Team Edo recorded 76 gold, 101 silver, and 125 bronze medals, bagging the highest silver medals at the sports feast and competed in 34 medal-yielding sports, securing at least one medal in 30 of them—a feat worthy of celebration.

Victory Odokara was crown queen of Deaf female athletics, winning two gold medals and setting a new Games record in the 800m with a time of 2:20.53, after clocking 58.50s in the 400m event—beating her closest rival by a whopping six seconds.

In track events, Faith Osamuyi etched her name in the festival’s records with her maiden 100m Hurdles title, recording a personal best of 13.23slp—a performance that signaled her potential for continental and global competitions.

HOW TEAM EDO WON ITS MEDALS 

KICKBOXING
★ 18 gold
★ 3 silver
★ 4 bronze
Total - 25 medals
 
GYMNASTICS
★ 12 gold 
★ 7 silver
★ 4 bronze
Total - 23 medals
 
PARA-ATHLETICS
★ 6 gold 
★ 4 silver
★ 4 bronze
Total - 14 medals
 
ATHLETICS
★ 5 gold 
★ 12 silver
★ 4 bronze
Total - 21 medals
 
CRICKET
★ 5 gold 
 
WEIGHTLIFTING
★ 4 gold 
★ 20 silver
★ 9 bronze
Total - 33 medals
 
WUSHU KUNGFU
★ 4 gold 
★ 6 silver
★ 12 bronze
Total - 22 medals
 
DEAF ATHLETICS
★ 4 gold 
★ 3 silver
★ 2 bronze
Total - 9 medals
 
WRESTLING
★ 3 gold 
★ 2 silver
★ 6 bronze
Total - 11 medals
 
BOXING
★ 3 gold 
★ 2 silver
★ 5 bronze
Total - 10 medals
 
KARATE
★ 2 gold 
★ 4 bronze 
Total - 6 medals
 
CYCLING
★ 1 gold 
★ 7 silver
★ 3 bronze
Total - 11 medals
 
PARA-POWERLIFTING
★ 1 gold 
★ 5 silver
★ 4 bronze
Total - 10 medals
 
PARA-TABLE TENNIS
★ 1 gold 
★ 4 silver
★ 13 bronze
Total - 18 medals
 
TAEKWONDO
★ 1 gold 
★ 3 silver
★ 5 bronze
Total - 9 medals
 
SCRABBLE
★ 1 gold 
★ 2 silver
★ 2 bronze
Total - 5 medals
 
SQUASH
★ 1 gold 
★ 1 silver
★ 3 bronze
Total - 5 medals
 
CHESS
★ 1 gold 
★ 1 silver 
Total - 2 medals
 
BADMINTON
★ 3 silver
★ 5 bronze
Total - 8 medals
 
GOLF
★ 3 silver
★ 3 bronze
Total - 6 medals
 
SWIMMING
★ 3 silver
★ 3 bronze
Total - 6 medals
 
DARTS
★ 3 silver
★ 2 bronze
Total - 5 medals
 
JUDO
★ 2 silver
★ 7 bronze
Total - 9 medals
 
TENNIS
★ 2 silver
★ 3 bronze
Total - 5 medals
 
TABLE TENNIS
★ 1 silver
★ 3 bronze
Total - 4 medals
 
DEAF BADMINTON
★ 1 silver
★ 3 bronze
Total - 4 medals
 
AYO
★ 1 silver
★ 2 bronze
Total - 3 medals
 
DAMBE
★ 1 silver 
★ 1 bronze
Total - 2 medals
 
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
★ 1 bronze
 
HANDBALL
★ 1 bronze
 
FOR YOUR INFORMATION 

OUR COVERAGE OF THE 22ND NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL IS PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY EMMANUEL EGBELE.

★ EMMANUEL EGBELE is the initiator of one of the most prestigious scrabble competitions in Nigeria - the Emmanuel Egbele Annual Scrabble Tournament (EEAST).

Emmanuel Egbele Annual Scrabble Tournament (EEAST), made its grand entry into the Nigeria scrabble circuit in 2021.
 
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