Team Delta, which retained the title at the just-concluded Gateway Games, have revealed that their performance at the maiden Niger Delta Games, where they finished second behind Bayelsa State, gave them extra push at the 22nd National Sports Festival in Ogun State.

Team Delta got their ninth Sports Festival title at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta, yesterday, topping the table with 109 gold, 73 silver and 87 bronze medals. Bayelsa was second with 80 gold, 54 silver and 59 bronze medals, while hosts, Ogun, was third with 69 gold, 56 silver and 62 bronze.

Team Rivers, Edo, Oyo and Lagos followed in that order. Five northern states, Benue, Borno, Yobe, Jigawa and Adamawa were at the bottom of the table.

Since winning their first NSF title at Bauchi 2000, Team Delta has finished second on two occasions, at Edo 2002 and Garden City 2011. At the maiden Niger Delta Games, the first regional Festival held earlier this year in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Team Delta finished second behind Bayelsa with one gold medal making the difference.

“At the end of the Niger Delta Games in Uyo, we sat down to review what went wrong,” Chairman of Delta Sports Commission, Onoriode Oborevwori, told The Guardian before the closing ceremony in Abeokuta, yesterday.”

“To be honest, the impression we got before the Niger Delta Games was that only athletes of below 25 years of age would participate. We didn’t bother to carry most of our athletes to Uyo, but on getting there, we saw other states parading their established athletes in weightlifting, wrestling, athletics and other sports. The fact that we finished second in Uyo was a big miracle.’’

“We didn’t allow that disappointment of finishing second behind Bayelsa to weigh us down; rather, we took it as a challenge on our return to Asaba. We settled down for work immediately for the Gateway Games, and the result is what we are seeing today,” he stated.

Oborewvori praised Team Delta athletes and officials for their exceptional commitment, discipline, and determination, which kept the State firmly in the lead from Day four of the competition till its closing stages.

He disclosed that the Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, would receive the team on their arrival in Asaba.

Also speaking, the immediate past Director General of Delta Sports Commission, Festus Ohwojero, said: “When the gold medal chase began, and Team Bayelsa was ahead for about four days, many people expressed concern. But I told them to relax because Team Delta has its areas of strength in the National Sports Festival.

“Thank God we are going back to Asaba with the trophy. But this celebration would not be possible without the moral and financial support from our sports-loving Governor. This is a perfect gift for the celebration of the Governor’s second anniversary in office,” Ohwojero said.