From Seyi Tayese, Yenagoa
Team Bayelsa over the weekend made the state proud at the Season 3 of the national athletics MTN CHAMPS, held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, winning the overall best position with a total of 15 medals, 7 gold, 3 silver and 5 bronze medals.
Sophia Efetobore was the star of the three day event, winning three gold medals in the 100m and 200m women senior as well as 4×100 metres relay.
Also, 13 year old Ebimoboere Chistopher of SAMKAY Athletics Academy, Yenagoa won 2 gold medals in the cadet under 14 category, in 100metres with a personal best of 12:95 seconds and 200metres with a time of 27.05 seconds.
In the Under 20 junior category, Samson Tebowei of SAMKAY Athletics placed second in the 800m to win silver setting a personal best time of 1:59:97 seconds.
The quartet of Perezide, Sophia, Taye and Sarah won gold in the 4x100meters relay for senior girls, just as David Michael, Bright Benson, Shalom George and Akwanga also won gold in 4×100 meters senior men relay.
Bright Benson clinched silver in the 400m Senior men, while Lucky Daje was in blistering form, winning the 200m Gold Senior men with a time of 21:09 seconds and bronze in the 100meters, and Austin Ezeruike made away with the bronze medal in the 200 metres.
In the under 20 female junior category, Perezide Sigah of SAMKAY clinched silver in 200 metres, while team Bayelsa also won silver in the 4X 400m mixed relay.
Christian Dickson won bronze in both 110 and 400 metres hurdles, while Sarah Lori also settled for bronze in the 400 meter senior for girls.
A number of young athletes ran their Personal Best including Faye Perfect who made it to the 200 metres final with a new time of 21:95 secs and Tokoni Itu who ran a personal best of 11:58 seconds in the under 17 category in 100 meters.
Vice Chairman of Bayelsa Athletics Association and founder SAMKAY Athletics Club, Dr kolawale Oredipe, who commended the performance of team Bayelsa, said the event was a test run for the state contingent ahead of the Niger Delta Sports Festival holding next month in Uyo and National Sports Festival scheduled for May, 2025.
