#Abuja2018: C'River Wins first medal 2018 National Sports Festival as Cecilia and Jenate reaches Finals in Women table tennis team event

By Ukorebi Esien 

Team Cross River at the ongoing National Sports Festival holding in the nation's capital City, Abuja, Sunday clinched her first medal in the competition. TDN can authoritatively report.

Earning, the medal was a para-Swimmer, Victor Mgbe who gave the state a bronze medal in men's 200 meters, while Delta state snatched the gold medal.

In a related development, the Cross River State Women Table Tennis team at the ongoing National Sports Festival in Abuja are on their way to grabing the Gold medal of the competition, having qualified to play in the Finals after beating their Ekiti state counterparts in a draconian   semi final stage.

Earlier in the wake of the competition, the Chairman of the Cross River State Sports Commission, Rt. Hon. Orok Duke had boasted that none of his contingent is a mercenary as all the contingent from the state either indigenous or trained by the state. Chief Duke further revealed that the state has an ongoing agenda to raise indigenous sports men and women in all sporting activities.

Mr. Orok Duke, Chairman of the Cross River State Sports commission had also informed newsmen at the end of the quarterfinals games that the girls having trained and adequately prepared for the competition has all it takes to return home with the gold medal. 

With theqse records, Team Cross River might just be on the way to clinching their first Gold medal in the National Sports Festival in Abuja.

National Sports Festival kicks off in style as Team C'River tipped to win medals

Ukorebi Esien

The 19th Edition of the National Sports Festival kicked off last night with a Grand Opening Ceremony at the National Stadium, Abuja.

The Bi-annual competition which is coming up after 6 years due to some constraints had over 8,000 athletes and sportsmen from 35 out the 36 states in Nigeria converging at the FCT to compete for medals in their various games. 

Speaking at the Opening ceremony, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Barr. Solomon Dalung said that the National Sports Festival has come to stay. Emphasising that the National Youth Service Corp, The National Sport Festival and the Federal Capital City, FCT are three institutions that have helped strengthened Nigeria's Unity and as such must not be toyed with. 

Speaking with Journalists at the end of opening Ceremony, Rt. Hon. Otuekong Orok Duke, Chairman of Cross River State Sports Commission has expressed optimism that the Cross River State 57 contingent who will be partaking in 8 competitions will come back home with several medals as he boasted that none of the states contingents were mecineries as all the athletes were either groomed by or (and) are indegines of Cross River State.


Cross River State contingent in pix