Delta confirmed as Edo 2020 winners, to host next Sports Festival

DELTA retained its position as the top state in Nigerian sports on Wednesday by emerging as the overall winner of the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival in Benin City.

The state, which also won the previous two editions, topped the final medals table with 158 gold, 116 silver and 110 bronze medals.

Host Edo finished in second place with 129 gold, 104 silver and 108 bronze medals, followed by Bayelsa with 56 gold, 55 silver and 58 bronze medals.

Delta received a double dose of good news on Wednesday night when, during an elaborate closing ceremony of Edo 2020, the state was  announced as the host of the next edition of the National Sports Festival in 2022.

The minister of youth and sports development, Chief Sunday Dare, made the announcement while declaring the 20th edition of the festival closed.

“Congratulations to Delta State for emerging the overall winner of the Games of the 2020 National Sports Festival. I’m  glad to note that the Federal Government received bids to host the 21st edition of the National Sports Festival in 2022 from six states namely: Delta, Ebonyi, Imo, Kaduna, Kano and Ogun,” Dare stated.

“Following the evaluation of the bids and the physical visitation to the prospective states, I hereby announce Delta State as the next host of the National Sports Festival in 2022. I congratulate the government and people of Delta State for emerging the preferred state and wish them the best of luck in the organisation of the 21st National Sports Festival.”

In the athletics finals held on the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium track just before the closing ceremony, Delta and Edo states consolidated their positions as the top two at the festival.

While Delta won the gold medal in the men’s 4×400m relay, beating Edo and Ekiti to silver and bronze, Edo triumphed in the the 4×100m mixed relay ahead of Lagos and Delta.

Akwa Ibom State won gold in the women’s 4×400m relay, with Delta second and Lagos third.