Delta Wins National Sports Festival

Team Delta were on Saturday officially declared winners of the 21st National Sports Festival in Asaba, the state capital.

Delta won 320 gold, 200 silver and 128 bronze medals to edge 35 other states and the Federal Capital Territory to stay atop the Nigerian apex sports fiesta.

Bayelsa, came second with 132 gold, 115 silver and 90 bronze medals, followed by Edo.

Edo state which hosted the festival’s 20th edition, won 78 gold, 94 silver and 167 bronze medals to make it a South-South affair in the top-three ranking.

Team Oyo emerged fourth with 50 gold, 51 silver and 62 bronze medals, while Lagos secured 41 gold, 57 silver and 74 bronze medals to come fifth.

Rivers completed the circle of all-Southern states’ domination with 35 gold, 57 silver and 117 bronze medals to occupy the sixth position.

Kano broke the Southern dominance with 19 gold, 27 silver and 30 bronze medals to emerge seventh on the medals table.

Ogun, FCT and Akwa Ibom emerged eighth, ninth and 10th respectively.

Zamfara, however, remained at the base of the table with no medal at the close of the 14-day event.

No fewer than 14,000 athletes participated in 38 sports at the festival.

The next edition will hold in 2024 in Ogun.