Tag: 2024 NSF

After minimal setback at the preliminary stages of the football event of the ongoing National Sports Festival , team Ogun waltzed into the final  yesterday following a 2-1 defeat  of  the Golden Eaglets.

The Golden Eaglets are participating in the sports festival under the Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) initiative of the National Sports Commission.

Buoyed by the qualification for the final of the football, team Ogun said their eyes are now focused on lifting the gold medal in the end.

In the pulsating semi-final match encounter at the stadium of Remo Stars football club, Ikenne, team Ogun showed skill, confidence and resilience boosted the more by cheers from excited spectators – all combined to help Ogun overpower the Golden Eaglets.

Team Ogun which initially wobbled into Games Festival, losing its first match to Ebonyi 1-0, soon regained its rhythm and defeated Team FCT 3-1 and spanked Team Borno 4-1 at the preliminary stages to soar to the quarter final.

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In the quarter final meet, team Ogun defeated visiting Team Delta 2-1.

Excited team Ogun coach, Akeem Daranijo, told reporters that his boys have what it takes to win the gold medal when  they meet Team Kwara in the final of the men’s football event  tomorrow at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena Kuto, Abeokuta.

Team Kwara which had proven  not to be  a  pushover in the competition, had defeated Team Kaduna with a 1-0 in the first semi-final.

The  Golden Eaglets will face Team Kaduna in the loser’s final scheduled to take place also on   May 27 at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne .

In a thrilling breakthrough, Team Yobe has clinched its maiden medal at the National Sports Festival in Abeokuta, Ogun State, courtesy of Charity Jatau’s stunning silver medal in the 48kg Judo category.

Jatau lost the gold to her Bayelsa opponent in a very keenly fought match with both athletes exhibiting professionalism with tactics.

This impressive achievement has catapulted Team Yobe onto the medal table, fuelling optimism among team members and officials about accumulating more medals.

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The Nation reports that the contingent had a tough outing in the team events, struggling to find their footing and ultimately falling short of expectations having had a gruelling four-days travel nightmare to Abeokuta.

Despite the setback, the team is focusing on the individual events, determined to make a strong comeback.

As the athletic events are just underway, the Director of Sports, Dr. Abubakar AbdulRaham Ago, exudes confidence that Yobe will snatch numerous medals before the tournament concludes. “Despite encountering setbacks in team events, we’re refining our strategies to secure additional medals,” he said.

Our Correspondent gathered that with the momentum generated from Jatau’s remarkable silver medal, Team Yobe is poised to make a resounding impact in the singles and doubles events, potentially adding more glitter to their medal tally for the state.