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Sprinter Egwero eyes four gold medals at Delta Sports Festival

By Gowon Akpodonor
09 May 2017   |   3:08 am
Nigeria's top sprinter, Ogho-Oghene Egwero is the biggest star competing at the sixth Delta State Sports Festival, which began yesterday at Ozoro Polytechnic Stadium.

Ogho-Oghene Egwero

Porbeni praises Okowa for reviving Games after 12 years

Nigeria’s top sprinter, Ogho-Oghene Egwero is the biggest star competing at the sixth Delta State Sports Festival, which began yesterday at Ozoro Polytechnic Stadium.

The sixth Delta State Sports Festival opened yesterday amid pomp and pageantry. Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who was represented by the Commissioner for Urban Renewal, Oghenekaro Ilolo, took the salute during the march past that featured athletes from the 25 local council areas that are participating in the competition. 

Dr. Tony Onowhakpo took the oath on behalf of the officiating officials, while Egwero did the same on behalf of the athletes. The state Arts Council cultural troupe added colours with their professional displays, just as Ika Rangers FC and Isoko United FC clashed in a football competition as part of the opening ceremony.      

Egwero has led Team Nigeria to different athletics events, setting a personal best times of 10.06 seconds in the 100m at Congo Brazzaville 2015 All Africa Games. He is said to be eyeing four gold medals for his Local Council Area, Isoko South in the on-going festival.
 
Egwero, who carried the sports festival torch from Oleh to Ozoro during yesterday’s opening ceremony, is expected to compete in the 100m, 200m, 4×100 and 4x400m relay events for his LGA.

The Ozoro Stadium, where the closing ceremony will also take place later this week, is hosting track and field as well as football event.Former Nigerian jumper, hurdler and sprinter, Seigha Porbeni, who made the disclosure while speaking with journalists expressed his satisfaction with the state government’s determination to make sports part of its priorities.
 
Porbeni, who is the head of Delta athletics team said: “It is a thing of joy to witness the Sixth Delta Sports Festival after 12 years. It brings together the unity and bond, which has been the strongest point of the state in the National Sports Festival.
 
“For me, this singular act by Governor Okowa in reviving the Delta Sports Festival 12 years after is worth praising.I spoke with Ogho–Oghene Egwero and he said his target is to win at least four gold medals in this festival for Isoko-South. His presence alone is a big motivation for other athletes in this festival,” Porbeni, a former Director of sports in the state added.
 
Delta won the National Sports Festival six times in eight editions. Those were under the Chief James Ibori’s administration (1999-2007) and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan’s tenure (2007-2015).

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