Bayelsa State delivered a remarkable performance at the recently concluded National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State, known as Asaba 2024.
Team Bayelsa secured 4th place in the youth edition of the national sports festival, finishing behind Delta (the host), Lagos, and Edo State.
Bayelsa ended with a total of 61 medals, consisting of 16 gold, 19 silver, and 26 bronze. They were only three gold medals shy of matching the medal counts of Lagos and Edo.
Chess proved to be Bayelsa’s standout event, bringing in five gold, one silver, and one bronze. Key chess performers included Treasure Ebiakpo, Goodness Ekunke, Bayefa Oyeinkeperemo, and Bayefa Miebi.
In swimming, the state claimed four gold, two silver, and two bronze medals. Sisters Atinuke and Annette Alfred-Olajide emerged as Bayelsa’s new swimming champions, while 12-year-old Ayibamieye Azazi took home two silver medals in the 50-metre freestyle event.
Other sports saw diverse success for Bayelsa. The karate team earned one silver, while para table tennis secured three bronze medals. Fives contributed one silver and one bronze, taekwondo earned a gold, and scrabble delivered two gold and two bronze medals. The kung-fu team added two silver and one bronze to the tally.
A surprise success came in darts, where Andrew Blessing and Favour Ketekete helped Bayelsa secure two gold and one silver in the mixed doubles TDB. Golf contributed one silver and two bronze, while athletics added two silver and one bronze.
Gymnastics brought home one gold medal, and the basketball teams (both male and female) achieved silver and bronze. Other medal winners included Kokowa (two silver), shooting (two bronze), para-athletics (one gold, one silver), judo (one bronze), squash (two bronze), and Ayo (one gold, one silver, one bronze). The girls’ football team earned silver after a 2-0 loss to Lagos in the final.
Lastly, kickboxing brought in one bronze, abula contributed one silver and one bronze, beach volleyball earned one bronze, and wrestling wrapped up the medal haul with one gold and two bronze.
