By Anne Azuka
The 2nd Edition of Association of Local Government of Nigeria(ALGON), Delta State chapter’s Sports festival has ended on a sound performances of athletes with the Oshimili South Local Government Area coming top as the overall winner of the sports festival with 25 gold medals.
Ika South Local Government Area came 2nd, 3rd position went to Ughelli North Local Government while Warri South Local Government Area came 4th.
These outstanding results and performances of athletes from across the 25 Local Government Area of the state were rewarded by ALGON with enormous prices, as the 1st position went home with one million naira, 2nd position got seven hundred thousand while the 3rd position shine home with five hundred thousand naira.
The festival, which is acting as a spring board for young talents in their infancy, has been described as the grassroot development of sports in the state which has made Delta the bedrock of sports development in the country.
The ALGON Consultant for the Sports Festival, Harrison Ocholor who highly elated by the good performances of the athletes said “this explains why Delta will remain the first in sports development in the federation.
Ocholor noted that the local government games had been very encouraging to the grassroot development of sports among children and youths in the state.
He observed that the prospect of Delta people is very promising and is assured of greater exploits in the Nigerian sports scene for much longer period than can be easily envisaged by those outside the circuit.
Ocholor therefore, commended the Chairman and heads of the various Local Government councils especially those whose athletes had performed creditably in the second edition of the tournament for being very committed to the development of their athletes.
In 400M Senior men, Ighogboja Michael from Ughelli North Local Government Area won the gold medal followed by Emanuel Salubi from Patani Local Government Area who went home with the Silver medal while Majemite Destiny from Ughelli North Local Government Area got the bronze medal.
Isaac Chukwunweike from Oshimili South Local Government Area won the gold medal in U-17 Boys 1500M followed by Funakpo Prosper from Bomadi Local Government who got the Silver medal and Garjaga Victor from Ughelli South Local Government secured the bronze medal of the event.
In the 1500M U-17 Girls category, Blessing Umoh from Oshimili North won the gold medal followed by Agaba Success from Ika North East won the Silver medal and Dimah Anointing from Ughelli North won the bronze medal.
In the 1500M Senior Men event, Michael Prince from Udu Local Government Area went home with the gold medal and Ogolo Odilichukwu from Oshimili North secured the Silver medal while Anthony Sample from Patani Local Government Area won the bronze medal.
Speaking shortly after the presentation of gifts ceremony, the Chairman of Delta ALGON, Mr. Victor Ebonka expressed happiness over the huge success recorded in the 2nd edition of the sports festival.
Ebonka assured that the young talents garnered at the sports festival would be nurtured and developed for higher competitions in the future, adding that sports will take the youths aware from violence, armed robbery, cultism and other crimes.
