Bayelsa Athletes Set Sights on Retaining Niger Delta Games Crown

Bayelsa State, the surprise overall winner of the inaugural Niger Delta Games in Uyo, is gearing up to defend its crown at the second edition scheduled for Benin, Edo State, from February 20–27.

At the maiden edition, Team Bayelsa topped the medals table with 46 gold, 29 silver, and 15 bronze medals, 86 in total, edging Delta State by a single gold medal on the final day of competition.

Now, athletes from the state are expressing confidence that they can replicate and even surpass that success.

Speaking after training sessions at their Yenagoa camp, several competitors emphasized their determination to maintain Bayelsa’s dominance.

Wrestler Emmanuel Okike stated firmly that the team’s target is to retain first place on the medals table. He credited their intensive preparations, particularly the wrestling team’s drills, for building confidence.

‘We have been doing well in all competitions we’ve attended so far. Bayelsa has gone beyond participation to winning tournaments,’ Okike said after a bout with a teammate.

Echoing his optimism, Ebiere Frank, a 61kg freestyle wrestler, stressed that Bayelsa intends to affirm its supremacy in wrestling. He added that the Games would serve as a preparatory championship for other major competitions later in the year.

Frank also praised the foresight of the Games’ initiator, Dunamis-Icon Limited, and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for their partnership in creating opportunities for youth. He believes the continuous staging of the Games will help discover and nurture fresh sporting talent across the region.

In basketball, Gonibo Jessica expressed confidence that Bayelsa would clinch gold, describing the competition as a vital platform for young athletes to progress to national and international levels.

She urged the NDDC to sustain its sponsorship, noting that the Games have become a launch pad for grassroots sports development.

Bayelsa will field male and female athletes across all 16 sports events, aiming to consolidate its position as the leading force in Niger Delta sports.