Medal hauls began in the ongoing 18th edition of the National Sports Festival with Oyo and Rivers States winning gold medals in the male and female 200 meters cycling races respectively on Tuesday.
Edward Osim, representing Rivers State, put up a superlative performance from the beginning of the race held at Eric Moore Road, Surulere.
Osim won the gold medal at the expense of Enoruwa Marvis of Ogun State, who settled for the silver just as Issa Mohammed of Kaduna State won the bronze.
In the female category, Oyo State cyclist, Durogbade Joke, against all odds, recorded the first gold for the state after defeating Juliet Akaegbu of Rivers State in the keenly contested finals of the 200m event while Clara Enadogbor of Delta State picked the bronze medal.
Speaking shortly after the race, Osim noted that he came to Lagos to win four gold medals even as he promised that he will not disappoint the Government of Rivers State that invested heavily in in him and sports development generally.
He said: “I am here to defend the titles I won at the last sports Festival in Port Harcourt and I will not disappoint.
“My target is to win four gold medals at the Games because I want to show the whole Nigerians that Rivers State is the best cycling state in the country.”
Silver medalist at the cycling event, Enoruwa Marvis, born by Edo parents, declared that he decided to represent Ogun State at the festival as a way of repaying the state’s magnanimity towards him.
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