Nasarawa State improved their medals’ achievements at the ongoing 9th National Youth Games holding in Asaba, the Delta State Capital, to six after recording some mind-blowing successes on Tuesday.
Sidi Ibrahim won the State’s first gold medal after defeating twenty-one other States to emerge champion in the Boys’ Junior Stable Ford Golf event.
The prodigy had won Team Nasarawa a bronze medal in the Eclectic Golf event the previous day, and looks poised to make it a second gold medal and three medals in total by a single athlete when he faces off against his opponents from other States on Wednesday morning in the Stroke-Play event at the popular James Ibori Golf Course, Asaba.
Another gold medal opportunity abound for Team Nasarawa as Sidi’s State-mate, Godwin Friday, will compete against his Delta State counterpart in the Match-Play Golf event in the morning on Wednesday.
In Shooting Sport, Team Nasarawa settled for the bronze medal in the Mixed Air Rifle event, ahead of seventeen other States.
The combination of Sodunke Samuel Opeyemi(boy) and Oluwatomiwa Quwiyat(girl) trailed their counterparts from Imo and Rivers States who came first and second positions respectively.
In Hockey, Nasarawa Girls’ Team defeated Team Imo 2-1 in their Group B clash, and ending 2nd position in the Group with eight points, which qualified them to the Semi-Finals stage of the competition.
Earlier, Nasarawa Boys’ Hockey Team beat Team Lagos 2-0 at the Okpanam Hockey Pitch, Asaba, maintaining their seamless Pool B record with nine points from three games.
Some drama, however, ensued in football sport as the match between Team Nasarawa versus Team Lagos could not be concluded due to technical hitches.
The game was abruptly ended and no decision has been taken yet by the organizers, despite scoreline at 0-0 few minutes into the second half.
Both Team Nasarawa and Team Lagos have six points each in Group D, ahead of Team Yobe(3 Points) and Team Delta(0 points).
Currently, Team Nasarawa has one gold, and five bronze medals, including three bronze medals won in Karate Boys’ and Girls’ Categories separately, courtesy of Magdalen Inji(Karate -47k Girls’ Category), Alexander Otuma(Karate Boys’ -50kg), and Chineye Agbo(Karate Girls’ +47kg).
Hope glimmers for the young Nasarawa athletes in the coming days in Hockey, Golf, Darts, and Volleyball.
Eche Amos (Fellow, CBS),
Head of Public Relations,
Nasarawa State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.
02/09/2025
