…dominates chess, shines in swimming, athletics, darts, gymnastics, wrestling
Bayelsa state produced one of the outstanding performances in the just concluded National Youths Games in Asaba, Delta State tagged Asaba 2024.
Team Bayelsa finished 4th in the youths version of the national sports festival behind host Delta, Lagos and Edo State.
Bayelsa finished 4th with 61 medals comprising 16 gold,19 silver and 26 bronze medals with three gold separating Lagos and Edo from Bayelsa State.
Chess produced the highest number of gold for Bayelsa, winning five gold, one silver and bronze medal.
Treasure Ebiakpo, Goodness Ekunke, Bayefa Oyeinkeperemo and Bayefa Miebi were the top performers for chess team.
Swimming won four gold, two silver, two bronze with Atinuke Alfred-Olajide and Annette Alfred-Olajide becoming the new swimming queens for Bayelsa while twelve-year-old Ayibamieye Azazi recorded two silver in the 50 metres freestyle.
Karate claimed one silver, Para Table Tennis won three bronze, Fives recorded one silver and a bronze, Taekwondo secured a gold, Scrabble gave Bayelsa two gold and two bronze while Kung-fu produced two silver and a bronze medal.
Darts surprisedly claimed two gold and one silver. Andrew Blessing and Favour Ketekete won gold in the mixed doubles TDB, Golf recorded silver and two bronze, Athletics secured two silver and one bronze medal.
Gymnastics won gold, basketball male and female recorded silver and bronze, Kokowa won two silver, Shooting two bronze, Para Athletics secured one gold, one silver, Judo bronze, Squash two bronze, Ayo one gold, one silver, one bronze, girls Football won one silver having lost 2-0 to Lagos in the final.
Kickboxing secured one bronze, Abula one silver, one bronze, Beach Volleyball one bronze, Wrestling amassed one gold and two bronze to complete 61 medals.