Expect Spectacular closing ceremony today, Ukah[romises

• Team Oyo Breaks New Grounds
• My Disability Doesn’t Stop Me, Says Akinbode

Chairman, Local Organising Committee (LOC) for Delta 2022 National Sports Festival, Patrick Ukah, has assured Nigerians that the closing ceremony of the games today will be highly entertaining.

Ukah said they’ve been preparing for the closing ceremony before the games began, adding that their target is to stage a world-class ceremony that will be enjoyed by all. At the opening ceremony, Ruger, Bella Shmurda and Harrysong entertained the crowd, but today, it will be the turn of Zoro, Erigga and Zlatan to thrill the audience.
 
Oyo State athletes broke new grounds at the festival as four sports in which the state never did well in previous editions produced their first ever gold medalists. Adekunle Adeyemo became the first ever Oyo State golfer to strike gold in that event, opening the floodgate of success for the team, as three other sports achieved good results also. The scrabble team of Mosope Muyiwa and Kareem Jamiu combined to win a gold medal in the male doubles just as Olasupo Temitope paddled to glory in canoeing, while also thrilling fans in cricket; a sport it was appearing in for the first time in over 40 years. The men’s cricket team battled to win gold, beating their Kaduna opponents in a thrilling final.

MEANWHILE, Team Ogun Para Athlete double gold medalist, Omolola Akinbode, has opened up on the challenges and disappointments she had to endure in order to be reckoned with in the society. Akinbode won two gold medals in athletics and shot put. While many able-bodied athletes are returning home empty handed from Asaba, a good number of the physically challenged athletes are smiling to the bank with plenty of cash in their pockets.
 
Among those in this category include Omolola Akinbode (gold in Shot Put T37-37), Latifat Tijani (powerlifting 45kg category), Isau Ogunkunle (table tennis 4-5class), Kafayat Olaitan (table tennis class 9), Dauda Ibrahim (59kg class), Yakub Adesokan (49kg class Para powerlifting) and Hakeem Rasaq (F40 Para-Athletics).
 
According to Bola Giwa, Head Public Relations/Information of Ogun Sports Council, “these para-athletes are examples of irrepressible spirit, gender equality and sports excellence”.