Ayoola Adeleke
Bright and hot weather in the atmosphere of Asaba was on Wednesday, but it was a ‘wet’ activities day for Team Edo as athletes tripled Tuesday’s medals to further increase their won medals at the ongoing National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State.
Team Edo with so many medals hoped going into the 8th day of the Games wasn’t disappointing as the athletes turned out to win a load of medals on the day.
Precious Akpan in the Taekwando Female 33kg after beating her Team Lagos opponent, Atiku Eeman in the final. In total, the Taekwondo Team finished the event with 2 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze.
The Team in the Dart Mixed Doubles beat Team Borno 2-1 in the semi-final to book the final place.
In Wrestling, Clara BIBO lost to Team Bayelsa wrestler in the final to pick silver for the team in the 36kg Female Freestyle event.
For Cricket, it was a gold medal for the Heartbeat of the Nation in the Male ODI with a sweet victory over Team Ebonyi and leaving Team Lagos to go home with a bronze medal.
It was a mixed feeling for the state as the Female Team could only manage Silver in the Female ODI, losing to Team Delta in the final.
Even Lucky in the 100m Male Deaf Athletics lost by split seconds to Team Ogun to pick the Silver medal, same as Aliat Musa in the Female Deaf Athletics 100 meters; Team Edo also added a bronze medal to taste all varieties of medals in the event.
Chess was also a good ground for the team with 2 gold, 5 silvers and 1 bronze.
Joy Nwabuzor and Gifted Eghe combined to win bronze for Team Edo in the Scrabble Female Doubles.
The Team also entered the medal zone in theEguaveon Theodora Oghoghosa claimed gold in the Female category, and Nwankwo Victor Chibuikem also picked gold in the Male category.
Nwankwo Michelle Chiamaka, sister to Nwankwo Cbibuikem took silver in the Female category.
In another Female category, Jaiyeola Ilerioluwa Deborah doubled the Team’s silver medal after losing to her Bayelsan counterparts.
The Team’s third silver in the Chess game was gotten through Evbuomwan Henry Oghogho in the Male category.
The Team wrapped the medal spree with a silver each in the Male and Female respectively. Female Handball with a 20-10 win over Team Cross River to book a semi-final ticket.
Team Edo now has in total 35 medals comprising 12 gold, 11 silver and 12 bronze medals – an 80% increase from day 7 total.
Thursday is another daring day for the Team as they anticipate more medals in other games they have advanced in.