•Team Rivers athlete, Stella Kingsley, wins three gold in weightlifting
Duro Ikhazuagbe
Eco State athlete, Enoch Adegoke won the blue ribband race of the 20th National Sports Festival in Benin City yesterday to emerge the fastest man of Edo 2020.
The former junior international, Adegoke, breast the tape in a split 10.28secs to leave his friend and Team Edo teammate, Alaba Olukunle to settle for the silver in 10.29secs.
The bronze medal went to Lagos State athlete, Jerry Jakpa, who won the consolatory silverware with 10.33secs.
In the women’s version of the 100m race, Grace Nwokocha who recently qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in Lagos raced to the finish line in 11.42secs to win the gold medal for Delta State.
Lagos State’s sprinter, Joy Udo Gabriel, finished the race in 11.44secs to win the silver medal while Bayelsa State’s Tima Godbless achieved a time of 11.61secs to grab the bronze medal.
Ihezue Nzube won the men’s triple jump gold medal for Delta State while Edo’s Frank Anabel Orobosa was the winner of the women’s Shot put event gold for Edo State.
Also yesterday, Team Rivers’ Stella Kingsley was all over the moon after winning three gold medals in the women’s 49kg Weightlifting event.
Stella snatched 74kg, Clean and Jerke 105kg a record in (49kg) to pick the three available gold medals.
Kingsley at the last National Sports Festival in Abuja three years ago finished fourth in same category.
The elated athlete thanked her coach for the support and God for the victory.
“At the beginning it was not easy, I had to work very hard for it with the support of my coach Ojadi and Uche for advising me and encouraging me. I also thank God for giving me the three gold medals, may his name be praised,” she said.
The River State athlete who won three silvers at the 2019 All African Games in Rabat, Morocco said she hopes to qualify for the Olympics.
She will now shift her focus to the African Championships in Antananarivo, Madagascar later in the year.
