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Francis Onoiribholo
The 22nd Edition of the National Sports Festival, aptly tagged Gateway Games, held in Ogun State, has come to a remarkable close with Team Edo distinguishing itself in all departments of the game.
This was contained in a statement by Edoko Wilson Edoko, the Media Officer to the Executive Chairman, Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele.
According to the statement, “Amidst a charged and challenging atmosphere marred by apparent hostilities and questionable officiating, Team Edo distinguished itself through sheer grit, resilience, and undeniable sporting excellence, culminating in an astonishing haul of 302 medals.
“With 76 gold, 101 silver, and 125 bronze medals won across a diverse range of sports, Team Edo reaffirmed its place as a leading force in Nigerian sports.
“The medal feat, despite glaring challenges from the organizers, underscores Edo State’s long-standing and consistent investment in grassroots sports development, talent discovery, and structured athlete mentorship.
“A critical look at the medal breakdown shows that Kickboxing was the crown jewel of the contingent’s efforts, producing 20 gold, 3 silver, and 4 bronze medals—27 in total, while Gymnastics brought in 12 gold, 7 silver, and 4 bronze (23 Medals).
“Weightlifting added 33 medals (4 gold, 20 silver, and 9 bronze), Kung Fu also proved fertile, with 22 medals (4 gold, 6 silver, 12 bronze), while Karate recorded 2 gold and 4 bronze. Athletics yielded 21 medals (5 gold, 12 silver, and 4 bronze), while Para Table Tennis contributed a substantial 27 medals, including 1 gold, 6 silver, and 20 bronze”
In Para Powerlifting, Edoko Wilson also observed, the team earned 12 medals (2 gold, 6 silver, and 4 bronze), and Wrestling yielded 9 medals (3 gold, 1 silver, and 5 bronze). Notably, Cricket proved a stronghold for Team Edo, delivering 5 gold medals, a testament to the state’s deep investment in lesser-highlighted sports.
“Deaf Athletics was another area of significant triumph, with 4 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze—making 9 medals. Boxing brought home 12 medals (3 gold, 2 silver, 7 bronze). Though Football, Wheelchair Basketball, and Volleyball did not result in podium finishes, sports like Cycling, Chess, Scrabble, Squash, and Taekwondo contributed meaningfully to the overall tally.
“Other sports such as Aquatics, Beach Volleyball, Badminton (Deaf), Darts, Deaf Table Tennis, Golf, Handball, Judo, Table Tennis, Tennis, Ayoade, and Dambe also raked in silver and bronze medals, despite not securing gold—showing the team’s depth and diversity across the board.
“Significantly, Team Edo recorded the highest number of silver medals (101) among all states and competed in 34 medal-yielding sports, securing at least one medal in 26 of them—a feat worthy of celebration.
“At the heart of this outstanding performance lies the visionary leadership of His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, Governor of Edo State, and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa, whose commitment to sports as a tool for youth empowerment, talent development, and social cohesion is unwavering.
“Their administration has not only sustained Edo’s sporting legacy but is charting a more dynamic and inclusive path forward through bold policy direction and strategic investments.
According to Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Governor Okpebholo’s sports vision centers on identifying, nurturing, and exposing young talents to national and global competitions. This guiding philosophy bore visible results at the festival.
“One such shining light was 17-year-old Osaretin Godwin, who stunned observers by dethroning Nigeria’s first female Olympic cyclist, Ese Ukpeseraye, to win Gold in Cycling—a truly historic moment, setting a new festival record. Another was 16-year-old Lorelay Holzendorf, who announced her arrival on the national stage in Tennis by helping Edo secure two silver medals in her debut appearance.
“Victory Odokara also dazzled, becoming the undisputed best Deaf female athlete, winning two gold medals and setting a new Games record in the 800m with a time of 2:20.53, after clocking 58.50s in the 400m event—beating her closest rival by a whopping six seconds.
“In track events, Faith Osamuyi etched her name in the festival’s records with her maiden 100m Hurdles title, recording a personal best of 13.23s—a performance that signaled her potential for continental and global competitions.
“Despite these trailblazing achievements, Team Edo was not immune to the systemic flaws that plagued the Festival.
“Most troubling was the lack of transparency and inefficiency in medal collation, as the Main Organizing Committee (MOC) failed to provide timely and accurate medal updates throughout the competition.
“States, including Edo, were left in the dark for prolonged periods, while some perceived “favoured states” received rapid updates—raising troubling questions about bias and fairness.
“This outdated, manual approach to medal tracking in 2025 is simply unacceptable. The failure to adopt a real-time digital system reflects poorly on the professionalism of the MOC and poses a threat to the credibility of the Festival. Edo officials lodged several complaints—particularly over suspicious results in Boxing, Cycling, and other events—yet many were ignored.
“Such actions, driven by political bias or regional favoritism, are a disservice to the spirit of national unity and competitive integrity that the National Sports Festival is meant to promote. They also risk demoralizing hardworking athletes who give their all to represent their states with pride and dignity.
“Nonetheless, Team Edo’s triumph in the face of adversity is a testament to the resilience, discipline, and excellence of its athletes, coaches, and support staff, and more importantly, the unflinching support of Governor Okpebholo and Deputy Governor Idahosa, who have shown by their actions that sports is a top priority in Edo’s development agenda.
“As we look ahead to the 23rd National Sports Festival in Enugu State, Team Edo is already strategizing, under the proactive leadership of Hon. Enabulele, to not only repeat but surpass this year’s feats.
“With a government that values excellence, and a crop of young athletes burning with passion and purpose, Edo’s sports future is not just bright, it is destined for greatness” he further declared.
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