Team Leader, Osetoba Sheds Tears Of Joy As Ekiti Defies All Odds To Win Silver In Athletics, Expects More From Other Games

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Saturday was a day of mixed feelings occasioned by mixed results from the various games that members of Team Ekiti participated in at the ongoing National Youth Games tagged Asaba 2024 in Delta State.

While some athletes painfully lost their games to more experienced opponents, some athletes excelled and progressed to crucial stages of their events.

All eyes were on athletics where many doubting Thomases have ruled out possibilities of Ekiti winning a medal but the experience, tenacity and determination of various athletes counted at the end of the day.

The likes of Adetobi Adebowale, Imisioluwa Ajayi, Anjolaoluwa Ajayi and Oluwashina Oguntunbi could not make it to the finals of their events despite giving their best up till the semi final stages but all disappointments were forgotten when the quartet of Wahab  Salawudeen, Olajesu Ogundare, Boluwatife Fayose and Comfort Aribisala won a hard earned silver in the 4 by 400 metre mixed relay (boys and girls) 

The quartet lost the gold medal to the host State which engaged more experienced and exposed athletes but Ekiti came second in a race that featured counterparts from Ondo, Akwa Ibom, Lagos and others.

The silver for Ekiti was celebrated like a gold as the leader of Team Ekiti who is the Technical Advisor on Sports Development, Dr Olusola Osetoba watched the races amidst tension and high expectations considering the fact that athletics was one of the areas of strength of the State at previous tournaments.

Dr Osetoba could not hide her emotions as she shed tears of joy while celebrating with the athletes, coaches and Team Ekiti shortly after winning the silver medal.

There are still hopes for Ekiti State today (Sunday) as the State athletes will compete in the 400 metres, high jump and long jump events as well as tennis, boxing, gymnastics, chess, hockey, cricket volleyball and scrabble among others.

In tennis, the hopes are high as 3 players namely, Seyi Ogunsakin, Goodnews Aina and Gloria Samuel are in the quarter finals of both singles and girls doubles events and  will be action this morning to contest for semi final tickets.

In cricket, Ekiti State has recorded impressive results all the way as the girls are now in the semi final where they will face Akwa Ibom State today after beating Edo State on Saturday in the quarter final.

In boxing, Afolabi Ridwan of Ekiti State lost the 44kg bout to a counterpart from Borno State while Kehinde Muritala defeated her counterpart from Akwa Ibom by technical knockout in the 42kg female event and Usman Mubarak also defeated Buhari Tajudeen from Kwara State in the 42kg boys category.

In beach volleyball, Ekiti State boys have three matches against Edo, Kaduna and Bayelsa States while the girls from Ekiti will face FCT and Bauchi.

The Boys had earlier beaten Ondo but lost to Borno State while the girls lost two tough games against Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa States.

On Saturday, an unprecedented 2 nil victory was recorded by Ekiti State male volleyball players over the host, Delta State to qualify for the semi final while a young vibrant boy named Ikechukwu Opara, the son of Ekiti State Karate coach, Jude Opara emerged as the man of the match and the toast of spectators when he put up a spectacular performance against Adamawa State in the hockey game that ended 1-1. 

Ekiti State are still in contention in scrabble and chess despite parading  very young boys and girls who are less than 10 years old at the ongoing National Youth Games 2024 in Asaba, Delta State.

In chess, Ekiti State beat Imo State 3-1 in the boys category while the girls also beat Abia State 3-1 while Ekiti State table tennis players defeated Bauchi State 2-0 in the boys doubles event but lost to host, Delta.

As the National Youth Games gathers momentum, more events will go down and certainly more athletes will have brighter chances to win medals while heartbreaks await  more athletes.

As of Saturday, Team Ekiti has a bronze in weightlifting and a silver in athletics hooes are high in other events which are getting to the peak as from today (Sunday)

As expected, Delta State  has been in sweeping medals while Edo and Lagos States are also giving the host State a hot chase on the medals table.

The National Youth Games 2024 featuring 35 States of the country and the FCT ends on Friday.

*#NYGTEEK 2024 Media*