It has been a frenzy of activities at the nine states offices of the Liaison Committees of the second Niger Delta Games (NDG) and on the fields with athletes and their coaches undergoing trials, screening and putting finishing touches to their preparations.
Bayelsa
The overall champions of the 1st edition, Bayelsa State concluded screening of registered athletes and set dates for state final trials to select representatives that will make the trip to Benin.
Director of Sports at the Bayelsa State Sports Council, Mr. Andrew Aye says the trial will hold on Tuesday.
The Bayelsa contingent won a total of 86 medals made up of 42 gold, 29 silver and 15 bronze medals to top the table at the end of the festival sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Team Delta finished in second position garnering 99 medals comprising 41 gold, 26 silver and 32 bronze, while Team Edo were 3rd with 23 gold, 35 silver and 31 bronze medals.
Akwa Ibom
Some athletes from the state are brimming with confidence on their medal chances with not a few promising to return from Benin with gold medals.
Destiny Ini Umoh is a table tennis player who didn’t mince words in predicting he would claim the gold medal.
‘I have trained very well and will continue to focus on my game to make my state proud when we go to Benin’, Umoh said in a recorded video from his training site.
Getting off her para powerlifting training bench, Patience Elijah spoke into the camera lens, saying, ‘we won in the last festival and will win more this time in Edo.
Akwa Ibom State witnessed large turnout of athletes and fans for their trials at different locations in Uyo that included the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Ultrafit Gym, West Itam Secondary School. It left Paul Bassey, the state’s Commissioner for Sports upbeat that the state will make improved medals returns from Benin.
Imo
State Liaison Committee Chairman, Hon Obinna Onyeocha was sighted in pictures and videos supervising preparations at the Dan Anyiam Stadium and the Committee’s offices.
The Secretary of the Committee, Willie Okolieogwo spoke of the state’s areas of strength in wrestling, handball, football and Para Powerlifting.
‘We have done considerably well to motivate our athletes and look forward to a good outing, certainly better than our performance in Uyo’, he assured.
Rivers
The State Liaison Committee Chairman, Chris Green was for the first time seen involved with the contingent, apparently taking a break from the Rivers United CAF Champions League involvement.
The state final trials have been spread across the week with the football event slated for Saturday. Some of the potential basketball representatives shot videos in which they spoke of retaining the gold they won in Uyo.
From Asaba, Benin and Akure, the young ones are all caught up in anticipation to be part of the biggest regional multi-sports competition in Africa.
All the teams are to arrive on 19 February and would be camped at the upscale Benson Idahosa University.
